Yield: 4 Dozen Marshmallows or about 1½ pounds
INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ cups vanilla, unbleached or regular white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3 Tb unflavored vegan gelatin (Emes Kosher Gelatin: carageenan, locust bean gum, and malto-dextrin)
1 cup cold water
¼ tsp sea salt
2 Tb real vanilla extract
½ cup cornstarch and ½ cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted together
EQUIPMENT:
candy thermometer
DIRECTIONS:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine gelatin and ½ cup water. Mix well with the whisk attachment. Let stand for ½ hour.
2. Meanwhile combine the sugar, corn syrup, remaining ½ cup water and salt in a sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. When the mixture has begun to boil, cover for about 3 minutes. The steam will dissolve any sugar crystal remaining on the sides of the pan. Uncover and cook to the firmball stage, 244˚F, using the candy thermometer.
3. As soon as the mixture reaches the firmball stage, remove from heat. Slowly add the syrup to the gelatin mixture while beating at high speed. Continue to beat at high speed for about 15 minutes after all the syrup has been added. The mixture should be fluffy white and will have tripled in size. If you stop beating before this point you get marshmallow fluff (makes for tasty “fluffer nutter” sandwiches). If you overbeat, you will have very chewy marshmallows. Gently incorporate the vanilla extract.
4. Dust a sheet pan with the cornstarch/confectioner’s sugar mixture. With a spatula spread out the marshmallow batter. Shake the pan to evenly distribute the batter. Dust the top with more of the corn starch mixture. Allow to sit at room temperature overnight to set. Lay out onto a board the next morning, and cut into squares using a metal wire or warm knife.
HINTS:
1. I find that the marshmallows are perfectly edible within one hour of finishing the recipe. However, they will be slightly firmer if allowed to set overnight.
2. I found that using a wire to cut the marshmallows works much better than a knife. Dust the cut marshmallows with more of the corn starch mixture to prevent them from sticking.
3. You can add any flavoring you like instead of vanilla extract. I like to make Peppermint Marshmallows, using peppermint oil(about 10 drops for this recipe), and put them in my hot cocoa.
