epicureantease

Huge marshmallow fan here!  HUGE! Marshmallow Peeps, chocolate dipped marshmallows, See’s Scotchmallows, roasted marshmallows, marshmallows straight from the package… should I continue, or do you get the point!?  😉

In early May, I spent a gorgeous Saturday afternoon in Sonoma with my two dear friends, Nicole and Tina to celebrate Nicole’s Birthday. We spent the afternoon shopping and enjoyed an absolutely delicious lunch at The Girl & The Fig. While perusing the shops, I ran across, “Marshmallow Madness” a cookbook dedicated to marshmallows!!!  The cover and backing of the book are even puffy like a marshmallow. I flipped thru the pages and was in awe of all the mouth-watering recipes. Although tempted, I was a good girl, put the book down and continued on my way.  About a week and a half or so later as I was scrolling thru my Instagram feed, I ran across a post from a friend who had just purchased Marshmallow Madness. I began to slightly regret not picking up a copy when I had the chance.  Flash forward to this past weekend.  While visiting my favorite nursery, Orchard Nursery in Lafayette (if you live in the area, you must really check this place out! :)), I ran across a few cookbooks in the nursery gift store The Lazy K.  I picked up one of the cookbooks (a cupcake cookbook, of course!) and what was beneath it, Marshmallow Madness!! It was meant to be!! I was meant to have it!  This cookbook has a recipe for just about any flavor marshmallow you can think of! Including Maple Bacon!!  Mmmmmm! BACON!!

Although the Honeyed-Apricot marshmallows have piqued my interest, I decided that my first batch of homemade marshmallows  would be classic vanilla.  Although they’re basic, they certainly don’t have to be ordinary, so I skipped the standard classic coating the recipe called for and went straight for ground Oreos!  I will admit, marshmallow making was a bit intimidating. But once I started I found there really is nothing to it.  Besides, my KitchenAid stand-mixer did most the work, whipping the ingredients into fluffy submission.

Homemade marshmallows aren’t for the impatient. Once the marshmallows have “mallowed”, they have to sit for 6 hours to set up.  Six hours!!! As they say, all good things are worth the wait, so I was certainly willing to have the necessary patience in order for these billowy, fluffy bites of heaven to turn out properly. 🙂

Classic Vanilla Marshmallow coated with Oreos

 Classic Vanilla Marshmallows
(courtesy ~ Marshmallow Madness)

The Bloom ~
4 1/2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
1/2 cup water

The Syrup ~
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup, divided
1/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt

The Mallowing ~
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup Classic Coating, plus more for dusting ~ see below for recipe

Lightly coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Whisk together the gelatin and cold water in a small bowl and let soften for 5 minutes.

Stir together the sugar, 1/4 cup of the corn syrup, water, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 240 degrees F.  Meanwhile, pour remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Microwave gelatin on high until completely melted, about 30 seconds. Pour into the mixer bowl. Set the mixer speed to low and keep it running.

When the syrup reaches 240 degrees F, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. Increase to medium-high and beat for 5 more minutes. Beat on the highest setting for 1 to 2 minutes more and beat in the vanilla; the finished marshmallow will be opaque white, fluffy, and tripled in volume. Pour it into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to smooth it into the corners. Sift coating evening and generously over top. Let set for at least 6 hours in a cool, dry place.

Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan. Invert the slab onto a coating-dusted work surface and dust it with more coating. Cut into whatever size pieces you wish (a pizza cutter works great for squares). Dip the sticky edges of the marshmallows in more coating, patting off the excess.

Super vanilla-ize these mallows by adding a scrapped vanilla bean or dab of pure vanilla bean paste along with the vanilla extract.

Classic Coating
(courtesy ~ Marshmallow Madness)

1 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup cornstarch or potato starch

Sift the ingredients together in a large bowl or combine them in a food processor. Can be stored forever in an airtight container.

NOTE: I used ground Oreos to coat my marshmallows. Other alternatives to the Classic Coating, toasted coconut, ground nuts or graham cracker crumbs.

Classic Vanilla Marshmallow coated with Oreos