How to: Homemade Marshmallows

I have discovered the world's best feeling substance: soft, fresh, homemade marshmallows.

You might think I'm losing my mind by saying this, as I'm sure other things come to mind for you. Pastry cream. Bagels. Brioche dough. Or the snow outside my window which, btw, looks like the softest/fluffiest snow I've ever seen. This week is just bringing it on!

Back to the marshmallows. They are so soft, exceptionally smooth, and really just pleasant to handle. As long as you have enough mallow... otherwise you're in a seriously sticky situation.

I was intimidated to make these, I will admit; however, they're really quite simple. I have some grand ideas for flavored marshmallows, but wanted to test the waters with plain batch first. Besides realizing I have no idea where my candy thermometer is, halfway through heating up my sugar, the process went very smoothly. Literally. This stuff is ridiculously smooth.

Start with gelatin. Add it to some water and let it harden up reaaaal nice. Gross.

Then you're gonna boil the rest of the ingredients (think: caramel) and pour the hot concoction into the running stand mixer, gelatin waiting at the bottom.

Let your mixer go for almost 15 minutes and watch your marshmallows rise from the ashes! I mean from the syrup. Rise from the syrup. It's amazing how it grows!

Carefully pour your sticky cloud into a prepared pan, smooth it out...

AND MALLOW IT! Oh this is my favorite part. I was liberal with the mallowing and coudln't stop fondling the mallows. It was an issue.

Let them set for a few hours before you cut and mallow some more.

Then you can use your mallows for ALL SORTS OF THINGS! S'mores, hot chocolate, on pancakes... yes I just suggested marshmallows on pancakes. Do it!

How to: Homemade Marshmallows

• Author: Adapted from Alton Brown
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup ice cold water, divided
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• butter, room temperature, for pan

---

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine ½ cup cold water with the 3 packages of gelatin. Let it set up for 30 minutes.
2. While your gelatin is setting, prepare a 9×13 dish by buttering it liberally. In a small bowl combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch, and coat the buttered dish with the mixture. Save the extra powder mixture for later.
3. Combine the remaining water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt together in a sauce pan. Cover, and cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove the lid and attach a candy thermometer, continuing to cook without stirring. Cook until the temperature reaches 240 degrees F, then remove from heat immediately.
4. With the gelatin in the mixing bowl, turn the mixer (fitted with the whisk attachment) onto low speed while you slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the bowl. Once it is all in, turn the mixer up to high speed at let it run for 12-15 minutes. The mixture should greatly increase in size, turn white, and cool to lukewarm. Add the vanilla in the last minute of mixing.
5. With a buttered spatula, pour the mixture into the prepared pan and flatten as smoothly as possible. Pour more of the powder mixture on top and spread it to cover all exposed marshmallow. Let the marshmallow set up for at least 4 hours, and up to overnight, uncovered.
6. When ready, turn out onto a kitchen towel lightly coated in powdered sugar. Cut to your desired shape/size, liberally coating in the powder mixture as needed.

---