Heaven in bite size bits...

[Lenardo]

So i got the last issue of bon appetit and they had an article about homemade marshmallows..

my kids love marshmallows. so i go what the heck and ask the kids if they want me to make some..


they said yes, so yesterday i made them- it takes a while, but most of it is the "setting" time(4hrs) the overall reaction..from my wife "you Will be making these again " not a question, a demand.. note: i couldn't find the potato starch in my area, tried 3 stores. so i just skipped it from the recipe(its in the sugar coating so its not an issue)- might want to use just the powdered sugar on knife instead of cooking spray to make cutting easier..

my take....omff- smooth, gooey, and delicious.



Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup cold water, divided
3 1/4-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup potato starch*
1/2 cup powdered sugar


Preparation

Line 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with foil.
Coat foil lightly with nonstick spray. Pour 1/2 cup cold water into bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand until gelatin softens and absorbs water, at least 15 minutes.
Combine 2 cups sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup cold water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over mediumlow heat until sugar dissolves, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat and bring syrup to boil. Boil, without stirring, until syrup reaches 240°F, about 8 minutes.
With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour hot syrup into gelatin mixture in thin stream down side of bowl (avoid pouring syrup onto whisk, as it may splash). Gradually increase speed to high and beat until mixture is very thick and stiff, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla and beat to blend, about 30 seconds longer.
Scrape marshmallow mixture into prepared pan. Smooth top with wet spatula. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until firm, about 4 hours.
Stir potato starch and powdered sugar in small bowl to blend. Sift generous dusting of starch-sugar mixture onto work surface, forming rectangle slightly larger than 13x9 inches. Turn marshmallow slab out onto starch-sugar mixture; peel off foil. Sift more starch-sugar mixture over marshmallow slab. Coat large sharp knife (or cookie cutters) with nonstick spray. Cut marshmallows into squares or other shapes. Toss each in remaining starch-sugar mixture to coat. Transfer marshmallows to rack, shaking off excess mixture.
*A food thickener made from cooked, dried, ground potatoes, this gluten free flour is also known as potato flour; available at most supermarkets.

[Dythan Dabrave]

that's awesome, any idea on how they toast over a fire? We're into summer camping mode and I would be king shit with these amongst my friends.

[Dooyas]

Sounds like they would be excellent for s'mores.

[Lenardo]

cough,,, heaven...for smores too

[Dythan Dabrave]

slight derail,

Those store bought Rice krispy treats, also toast up well. I use those now instead of gram(sp) crackers.

[WiouXev]

LOL

a smore sandwiched between two rice krispy treats?

shit man, now that's american.

[ryum]

I made home made marsh mellows, and they tasted remarkably like... bagged marsh mellows from the store. It was a ton of effort for basically the same stuff IMO. Wish I lived close to ya Len I'd come by and try yours and see if they were much different to see if it was just something I did wrong.

[Bodhidharma]

Was hopping in a grocery store and saw Potato Flour and immediately thought of this thread. I bought said Potato Flour, and followed the recipe exactly.

First comment is a word of warning. If you happen to be using a stand mixer like a KitchenAid, when you add in the vanilla, the mixture gets less firm IMMEDIATELY. This causes a sudden increase in the mixing speed because the motor is under less load. I was quick to slow the speed back down otherwise the mixture might have been thrown all over the kitchen.

Second comment is the same as ryum's... I brought the leftovers with me to work today, and they do taste exactly like store marshmallows. So yes it is a lot of work for something that's pretty indistinguishable from the store bought alternative.

Third comment is that on the upside, you can add your own additional flavors to your homemade marshmallows that you may not find in store marshmallows. Plus you can use cookie cutters to make any shape you want. Get some alphabet cookie cutters for example and spell your kid's name out in marshmallows for their birthday. Or do numbers, or shapes. So there is a good side to making these yourself.

However my general comment is that unless you're doing something special like needing your own flavor or shape that isn't available in the store, stick with store bought ones.