Homemade Marshmallows!! So worth it! You will never buy the store kind again!

 
I was making the marshmallows for the first time a while back and decided to call my mom. I wanted to share my ‘Martha Stewart’ moment with her. I expected ‘You are so clever!’ or ‘I always wanted to do that!’ Did I get that? NOPE! Her response was ‘Why? You can buy them in the store.’ My heart sank and I felt like I was wasting my time. That was until I tasted them. Homemade Marshmallows are nothing like the store bought ‘stuff’! They are soft, smooth and super flavorful. It is worth it, I promise!

What you need for the Marshmallows (adapted from Alton Brown’s recipe. He is a genius!!!):

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
  
• 1 cup ice cold water, divided
  
• 12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
  
• 1 cup light corn syrup
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (different than Alton’s)
  
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (different than Alton’s)
  
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
  
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
  
• Nonstick spray. Do not use Butter flavored spray! It will taste weird.

Tools you will need:

· 2 qt saucepan and lid

· Mixing bowl

· Stand mixer with whisk attachment (If you only have a hand mixer, this may be a big pain!!)

· 13 x 9 pan

Steps for Marshmallow:
1) Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

Don’t stir! Just open packages of Gelatin, pour it in and pour the water over it.
2) In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 4 minutes. I add the ingredients and then turn on the heat. As soon as I turn on the heat, I set the timer for 4 minutes.
3) Uncover and cook for 7 more minutes. I never stir this! Not once!! Once the 7 minutes are up, immediately remove from the heat.

4) Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture.
5) Once you have added all of the syrup, slowly increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm. I do it for 15 minutes.
6) While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans: you will need to spray a pan with nonstick spray and sprinkle with a mixture of cornstarch and powdered sugar (equal parts). Save the extra!
7) Add the vanilla to the mixture and whip for one more minute.
8) Pour the mixture into the pans that were prepared in step 6.
9) Allow to cool and set up for at least 4 hours. Once they are set up, sprinkle the top with the cornstarch/sugar mixture.

I cleaned up my pan from the Cornstarch/Sugar mixture for the picture. Your pan may look different.

10) Gently remove from pan and place on a cutting board that has been sprinkled with the mixture.
11) Prepare your knife. I spray it with nonstick spray and then put a little of the mixture on the edge of the knife.
12) Cut your marshmallows and store in air tight containers.
Enjoy alone, in hot cocoa or in this Caramallow recipe!

Charge!!!  Can you tell my monkey loves Marshmallow! He attacked my pan before I had a chance to cut them and make a pretty final picture. It looked like a flock of Seagulls got to it. (I know some of you are singing ‘I ran. I ran so far away.’)

 
I was making the marshmallows for the first time a while back and decided to call my mom. I wanted to share my ‘Martha Stewart’ moment with her. I expected ‘You are so clever!’ or ‘I always wanted to do that!’ Did I get that? NOPE! Her response was ‘Why? You can buy them in the store.’ My heart sank and I felt like I was wasting my time. That was until I tasted them. Homemade Marshmallows are nothing like the store bought ‘stuff’! They are soft, smooth and super flavorful. It is worth it, I promise!

What you need for the Marshmallows (adapted from Alton Brown’s recipe. He is a genius!!!):

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
  
• 1 cup ice cold water, divided
  
• 12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
  
• 1 cup light corn syrup
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (different than Alton’s)
  
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (different than Alton’s)
  
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
  
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
  
• Nonstick spray. Do not use Butter flavored spray! It will taste weird.

Tools you will need:

· 2 qt saucepan and lid

· Mixing bowl

· Stand mixer with whisk attachment (If you only have a hand mixer, this may be a big pain!!)

· 13 x 9 pan

Steps for Marshmallow:
1) Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

Don’t stir! Just open packages of Gelatin, pour it in and pour the water over it.
2) In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 4 minutes. I add the ingredients and then turn on the heat. As soon as I turn on the heat, I set the timer for 4 minutes.
3) Uncover and cook for 7 more minutes. I never stir this! Not once!! Once the 7 minutes are up, immediately remove from the heat.

4) Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture.
5) Once you have added all of the syrup, slowly increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm. I do it for 15 minutes.
6) While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans: you will need to spray a pan with nonstick spray and sprinkle with a mixture of cornstarch and powdered sugar (equal parts). Save the extra!
7) Add the vanilla to the mixture and whip for one more minute.
8) Pour the mixture into the pans that were prepared in step 6.
9) Allow to cool and set up for at least 4 hours. Once they are set up, sprinkle the top with the cornstarch/sugar mixture.

I cleaned up my pan from the Cornstarch/Sugar mixture for the picture. Your pan may look different.

10) Gently remove from pan and place on a cutting board that has been sprinkled with the mixture.
11) Prepare your knife. I spray it with nonstick spray and then put a little of the mixture on the edge of the knife.
12) Cut your marshmallows and store in air tight containers.
Enjoy alone, in hot cocoa or in this Caramallow recipe!

Charge!!!  Can you tell my monkey loves Marshmallow! He attacked my pan before I had a chance to cut them and make a pretty final picture. It looked like a flock of Seagulls got to it. (I know some of you are singing ‘I ran. I ran so far away.’)