The winter landscape can be a little harsh here in the midwest. For one of my photography class assignments we were supposed to take a photo of something representing a randomly picked 'Zen' word. I picked 'soft'. Call it a temporary lack of creative imagination but I couldn't find anything 'soft' out in nature at this time of the year. Beyond having my fill of taking snow photos, my ability to capture the 'white' of the snow seems to have been adversely affected by my inability to consistently figure out how to make the necessary adjustments to my camera settings (if only we could just shoot in auto and the camera would make all of those decisions for me) to take a 'good' crisp, white photo (or at least one that wouldn't be subject to too much constructive feedback during class). I thought the photo of a 'soft', fluffy food would give me a better chance of 'nailing' the assignment (a far better outcome than being nailed to the cross). And rather than take a photo needing 'a thousand words' to explain 'a single word', I decided I should go with taking one barely needing an explanation. For me nothing more obviously represents 'soft' than Fluffy Vanilla Marshmallows (homemade, of course).
'There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.' (Ansel Adams) Bolding borrowing on this thinking, it would be safe to say there are no rules for making good marshmallows, there are only good marshmallows. This discovery came not as a result of making, but rather from looking at dozens of marshmallow recipes. Admittedly, the idea of making marshmallows from scratch can initially seem a little intimidating. However, once you have had the taste of a (really) good homemade, fluffy, springy marshmallow you will be forever spoiled and finding yourself becoming a fearless maker of marshmallows. Your mug of hot chocolate topped with homemade marshmallows will never taste better, your s'mores made with fluffy, springy marshmallows will become legendary, and, your rice krispie treats using melted homemade marshmallows will be worth their weight in gold. Are you ready to put your marshmallow making cape on yet?
Can making marshmallows be a little messy? Judging from the amount of confectionary sugar swirling in and covering almost everything in the kitchen in sugar dust, the answer is yes, but with a partial caveat. With my focus on taking 'the' photo, I wasn't paying attention to where the sifter was. And as a result I inadvertently knocked the sifter filled with confectionary sugar and corn starch onto the floor. Fortunately while actually making the marshmallows I didn't end up with marshmallow sticking all over my hands or in my hair or on every counter in close proximity to the mixer. Had I obsessed about getting every last bit of marshmallow out of the mixing bowl and into the pan, more than likely I would have made a 'sticky' mess. So don't obsess about trying to get every last bit of the marshmallow mixture out of the bowl. Unless of course you feel like making a mess.
The use of a standing mixer is definitely what I would call an added advantage when making these Homemade Fluffy Vanilla Marshmallows. In addition to being able to walk away from the mixer beating on high for 8-12 minutes, the whisk attachment on the standing mixer helps to create the smooth, thick, tripled in volume mixture needed before the whipped egg whites and vanilla are added.
This recipe calls for the use of 3 1/2 packages of (1/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin or 7/8 ounce of unflavored gelatin. If you don't have a digital scale, this equates to 2 Tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons (thank you Smitten Kitchen for measuring this out!). In addition to replacing the salt with sea salt in Gourmet's recipe, I increased the amount of light corn syrup from 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup.
As I was pouring the marshmallow mixture into the prepared 9"x13"x2" pan, I wished I had prepared a 9"x9"x2" pan instead as I wanted the finished marshmallows to be cut into the 'thickest' squares possible. But in the end it all worked out because I decided to cut the marshmallows into larger squares. The 1" thick squares ended up being a more perfect size for s'mores. Your choice of pan will depend on whether you want really thick marshmallows or you want to cut your finished marshmallows into shapes (other than squares). If for Valentine's Day you want to make marshmallow hearts or you want to make bunnies for Easter, definitely use a 9"x13"x2" pan.
I let the marshmallows set up overnight at room temperature (uncovered). If I were making these marshmallows in the heat of the summer I have them set up in the refrigerator (again uncovered) for at least 3 hours before cutting them. If you have never made marshmallows before, you can find more tips on making and cutting them here.
Before turning out the pan of marshmallows onto the cutting board, lightly dust it with the confectionary/cornstarch. Many marshmallow recipes call for dusting the finished marshmallows in confectionary sugar only. Note: The use of confectionary sugar only can dissolve and make the marshmallows a bit damp (thank you David Lebovitz for sharing this tip!). But whatever you do, do not use cornstarch-only!
Once cut, the marshmallows are tossed in the sifted confectionary sugar/cornstarch mixture ensuring all sides are coated. In addition to adding another layer of flavor to marshmallows, it keeps them from sticking to one another.
I ended up with 24 large marshmallows, however, the number of marshmallows you end up with will depend on the size you decide to cut them. For s'mores these large marshmallows were the perfect size. For hot cocoa, the larger marshmallow will be cut into four smaller squares.
These were the springiest, fluffiest marshmallows I had ever made. As much as I thought the addition of egg whites (as recommended in recipes from David Lebovitz and in one from Gourmet) was just one more, possibly unnecessary step, they were most likely responsible for the creating these incredibly light, fluffy and just the right amount of 'soft' marshmallows.
Whether you use these marshmallows to make s'mores, to add them to your hot cocoa, to use in another recipe, or to snack on, they make a great gift when packaged in cellophone bags and tied with a beautiful ribbon or bakery twine. Happy marshmallow making.
Recipe
Homemade Fluffy Vanilla Marshmallows (Slightly adapted from Gourmet, December 1988)
Ingredients
About 1 cup confectionary sugar (or a mixture of cornstarch and confectionary sugar)
3 1/2 envelopes (2 Tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons OR 7/8 ounces) unflavored Knox gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
2 large egg whites (beaten until they just hold stiff peaks)
1 Tablespoon vanilla or vanilla bean paste
Directions
1. Lightly spray bottom and sides of a 13"x 9"x 2" rectangular metal baking pan. Dust bottom and sides with confectionary sugar.
2. In a bowl of standing mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Let stand to soften.
3. In a heavy 3 quart saucepan, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup cold water. Over low heat stir until sugar is dissolved.
4. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees (F), approximately 10-12 minutes.
5. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, beating mixture on high speed until white, thick and nearly tripled in volume, approximately 10-12 minutes.
6. Beat in egg whites and vanilla.
7. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Sift 1/4 cup confectionary sugar evenly over the top.
8. Allow the marshmallows to set overnight (uncovered). In very hot weather, chill marshmallows (uncovered) in the refrigerator.
9. Run a thin knife around edges of pan. Invert pan onto large cutting board. Trim edges of marshmallows and cut into 1 inch squares. Toss cut marshmallows in additional confectionary sugar to ensure all sides are coated. Shake off excess.
10. Store marshmallows in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 1 week.
Winter 'snow' photo taken in Telluride, Colorado.