Let’s get a few things out of the way so we can enjoy making gorgeous homemade marshmallows. You do need a few specialist items:
- sugar thermometer (I haven’t found any way around this but if you have, let me know and I’ll add it here to bring marshmallows to the masses!)
- liquid glucose (I found this in the baking section of an ordinary supermarket in the UK)
- a LOT of gelatine – 9 sheets, to be exact (I know, I was shocked too!)
- a stand mixer will make this much easier as you’ll need to whisk the mixture for quite a while but electric beaters could do the job
From there on in, it’s quite straightforward and very satisfying!
I have adapted this from James Martin’s recipe on the BBC, upping the vanilla for greater flavour and giving you my top tips for guaranteed marshmallow success. You can find the original here, along with a chocolate dipping sauce recipe.
I’ve tried making Rice Krispie squares and popcorn cake with homemade marshmallows but they have always turned out too soft. The quest continues … I even made some chocolate-covered mallow sandwiches with homemade Graham Cracker biscuits (a variation on a Wagon Wheel) but the marshmallows were a bit lost.
In my experience, these are best enjoyed exactly as they are, served alongside coffee or tea.
Ingredients
- 450g sugar (I have used granulated and caster sugar and both worked well)
- 1 tbsp liquid glucose
- 2 large egg whites
- 9 sheets gelatine, soaked in 140ml cold water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp vanilla powder or the seeds from 1 vanilla pod
- vegetable oil for greasing
- icing sugar, for dusting
- cornflour, for dusting
Method
In a sturdy (heavy-bottomed) saucepan, measure out the sugar, glucose and 200ml water and bring to the boil.
Keep the heat quite high until the mixture reaches 127°C on a sugar thermometer. This might take 15 or so minutes (it does on my induction hob) but keep an eye on it.
Measure out 140ml of cold water and add the gelatine sheets to soften them.
Whisk the egg whites in your stand mixer or in a bowl with electric beaters until stiff.
Gently tip the soaked gelatine sheets and their water into the hot sugar syrup. Stir gently, being very careful to not splash the hot syrup on yourself.
With the machine running, continuing to whisk the egg whites, slowly pour the syrup in, then add the vanilla extract and powder and keep it going for about 10 minutes.
Oil a baking tray deep enough for the mixture and pour and scrape it in. Smooth the top and leave to set. If you’re in a hurry, you can do this in the fridge.
When it has set, slide a spatula around the edges of the marshmallow to loosen and tip it out. Cut it into cubes and roll the cubes in a mixture of equal amounts of icing sugar and cornflour to stop them sticking together. Keep in an airtight container.