Not many people think of making marshmallows from scratch since they are so easy and cheap to get at the supermarket. These fluffy light confections are also mistakenly thought only possible to create by some mysterious process at a food factory.
But marshmallows are quite easy to make at home. And once you bite into a home made marshmallow, it is hard to go back to store bought.
A Short History of the Marshmallow
Marshmallows are candies that date back to ancient Egypt which were made from the sap of the root of the marsh-mallow plant (althea officinalis) which grew -- and still grows -- in salt marshes. Up until the 19th century marshmallows were made by mixing marsh mallow root sap, egg whites and sugar together and placed into a mold, which turned out much gooier than today’s marshmallows; cornstarch was later added to give the candy a firmer form.
Today, the marsh mallow root sap has been replaced by less a expensive more readily available ingredient, gelatin, which gives it a firmer texture, but, unfortunately for vegetarians, makes the marshmallow a non-vegan food since gelatin is made from animal by-products. The rest of the ingredients for marshmallows have remained the same; although salt and vanilla extract are often added for extra flavor.
Try this recipe for incredibly delicious home made marshmallows:
Homemade Marshmallow Recipe
Makes about 40 marshmallows
- 3 tablespoons of unflavored and unsweetened gelatin (equals 3 packages of Knox brand gelatin).
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cups corn syrup (light or dark)
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Prepare a 9 x 13 glass pan by greasing it with butter and sifting powdered sugar over it to coat the bottom and sides.
- In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over ½ cup of cold water and allow to soak for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, get a small saucepan and add together the sugar, corn syrup and ¼ cup water. Cook on medium to high heat until the mixture comes to a rapid boil; allow to boil rapidly for 1 minute. Use a candy thermometer and let the mixture reach the soft ball stage, i.e., over 250 degrees F.
- Pour the boiling syrup into the soaked gelatin and mix with electric mixer with a whisk attachment; whip carefully (it will be hot) until you reach high speed; add the salt. Beat for 10 minutes then add vanilla extract. Beat on low until vanilla is incorporated.
- Using a spatula (oil the spatula to prevent sticking) scrape the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Allow the mixture to sit overnight the refrigerator until cooled and firmly set. Remove marshmallow from pan by inverting it onto a cutting board sprinkled with powdered sugar. Cut into pieces with a large pizza cutter. Dust each individual marshmallow in powdered sugar.
Variations:
You can replace the vanilla with other flavorings, such as mint, orange, strawberry, orange, or even flower water.
 |
