Homemade Marshmallows: Recipes & Tips (Part 2)

[bkeith]

This week I made a batch of vanilla marshmallows and swirled in homemade caramel sauce right before panning them. They are seriously amazing. They taste like caramel ripple ice cream. The layers separate a bit but none of my testers thought it was an issue and in fact, some of them thought the difference in textures between the layers is what made them amazing. However, I'm wondering about shelf life. The caramel sauce is usually stored in the fridge. Fruit purees are as well so maybe it's fine but I worry about the butter and cream. Are there any guidelines on this? Instead of sauce should I make a firmer caramel that would normally be stored at room temp and just warm it to liquify before using?

After reading this I had to give it a try, and you're right -- seriously amazing. I made a batch last night, and it would have taken a very large team of horses to get the spatula away from me. Can't wait to sample them tonight after they're cut.

I'm not going to worry about shelf life -- they won't last long enough for that to be a problem.

[Darienne]

A question: what exactly does 'panning them' mean? Thanks.

[bkeith]

A question: what exactly does 'panning them' mean? Thanks.

In this case, I took that to mean the step where you pour/scrape the newly whipped marshmallow goo from the mixing bowl into the lined pan to set up.

[CanadianBakin']

A question: what exactly does 'panning them' mean? Thanks.

In this case, I took that to mean the step where you pour/scrape the newly whipped marshmallow goo from the mixing bowl into the lined pan to set up.

bkeith: Thanks for replying. That's exactly what I meant.

Do you have any caramel marshmallows left? They are great to snack on and very good melting on a coffee or latte. My assistant used to serve her kids sliced bananas with vanilla icecream and caramel sauce so she's thinking that the marshmallows would be great instead of just caramel sauce and torched they would be even better, melty marshmallows on icecream...mmmmm.

[bkeith]

A question: what exactly does 'panning them' mean? Thanks.

In this case, I took that to mean the step where you pour/scrape the newly whipped marshmallow goo from the mixing bowl into the lined pan to set up.

bkeith: Thanks for replying. That's exactly what I meant.

Do you have any caramel marshmallows left? They are great to snack on and very good melting on a coffee or latte. My assistant used to serve her kids sliced bananas with vanilla icecream and caramel sauce so she's thinking that the marshmallows would be great instead of just caramel sauce and torched they would be even better, melty marshmallows on icecream...mmmmm.

Excellent ideas. I love the thought of melting one into a latte. I think they'd be pretty marvy dipped in chocolate too. Ooh - smores! You'd have to handle them a little differently, though --I don't see them holding well on the end of a stick. But make "inside smores" with a torch or broiler, and I think I'm looking for a reason to call in sick to work.

To keep myself from eating the whole pan, I took them as one of my donations to the bake sale of our cake show. They went pretty quickly. I guess now I'll have to make more for latte experiments, seeing as how I've got extra caramel sauce left over and all.

[BadRabbit]

This week I made a batch of vanilla marshmallows and swirled in homemade caramel sauce right before panning them. They are seriously amazing. They taste like caramel ripple ice cream. The layers separate a bit but none of my testers thought it was an issue and in fact, some of them thought the difference in textures between the layers is what made them amazing. However, I'm wondering about shelf life. The caramel sauce is usually stored in the fridge. Fruit purees are as well so maybe it's fine but I worry about the butter and cream. Are there any guidelines on this? Instead of sauce should I make a firmer caramel that would normally be stored at room temp and just warm it to liquify before using?

Was this just a simple caramel? What was the consistency?

[CanadianBakin']

This week I made a batch of vanilla marshmallows and swirled in homemade caramel sauce right before panning them. They are seriously amazing. They taste like caramel ripple ice cream. The layers separate a bit but none of my testers thought it was an issue and in fact, some of them thought the difference in textures between the layers is what made them amazing. However, I'm wondering about shelf life. The caramel sauce is usually stored in the fridge. Fruit purees are as well so maybe it's fine but I worry about the butter and cream. Are there any guidelines on this? Instead of sauce should I make a firmer caramel that would normally be stored at room temp and just warm it to liquify before using?

Was this just a simple caramel? What was the consistency?

Yes, simple caramel. Consistency is pourable at room temp. Slightly thicker when cold.

[cookingofjoy]

So I finally tried the fruit swirl idea, though with strawberry jam instead of blackberry and a lemon marshmallow. I really liked them - kind of strawberry lemonade-ish. The texture was good, there wasn't any kind of weeping. I didn't use a lot of jam. I didn't measure, but probably around 3TB for an 8x8 pan. I tried to keep the swirl in the marshmallow to avoid have to coat a lot of jam with powdered sugar/potato starch.

So...I'm wondering how safe something like this is? What are the dangers of unrefrigerated jam?

Here's a pic!

[nomnivorous]

So I've become somewhat obsessed with making marshmallows. This thread made me really happy to find, but I'm curious - has anyone figured out good uses for failed mallows? I tried some bourbon marshmallows but they messed with the gelatin so they never whipped up.

I'd hate to toss the batch out, but does anyone have tips on reusing the failed marshmallows? And on that note, does anyone have a good alcoholic marshmmallow technique/recipe?

[Mjx]

So I've become somewhat obsessed with making marshmallows. This thread made me really happy to find, but I'm curious - has anyone figured out good uses for failed mallows? I tried some bourbon marshmallows but they messed with the gelatin so they never whipped up.

I'd hate to toss the batch out, but does anyone have tips on reusing the failed marshmallows? And on that note, does anyone have a good alcoholic marshmmallow technique/recipe?

At the risk of sounding obvious, how would your failed marshmallows be as a topping for, say, a very dark, dense chocolate/spiced cake or similar dessert, such as bread pudding? The bourbon sounds like it might just make it perfect for the job, and you could tweak it, if you feel it isn't quite dimensional enough as is.

[patris]

Melt them with some butter and make upmarket rice cereal treats?

[Natalie Suwanprakorn]

Hi!

This is just what I'm looking for -- when do you add the inclusions of nuts, etc? At the end of the whipping?

Thanks,

Natalie

[CanadianBakin']

You can easily add a bit of alcohol right at the end.

[CanadianBakin']

Hi Patty! Have you had success making rice krispie treats with homemade marshmallows? I found the moisture content was too high and they tasted stale very quickly.

[CanadianBakin']

Hi!

This is just what I'm looking for -- when do you add the inclusions of nuts, etc? At the end of the whipping?

Thanks,

Natalie

Yes, right at the end. Mix just enough to evenly distribute.

[dhardy123]

Have you had success making rice krispie treats with homemade marshmallows? I found the moisture content was too high and they tasted stale very quickly.

While its not marshmallows per se, the "Baked" guys do a rice krispie treat using sugar, water and corn syrup that works just like marshmallow sticking the rice krispies together

[JeanneCake]

I've only ever used this recipe to spread in a pan and let set up overnight, and cut into squares or shapes.

I saw a marshmallow twist pop on Facebook and I want to replicate it. It looked as if the marshmallow was piped in straight rows on a silpat (alternating colors or flavors) and then when set, twisted around a lollipop stick. The rows were an even thickness, which makes me think that they used a large, open tip (e.g., an Ateco 8 or 9 maybe) to pipe them

Is it really just that easy? It is so sticky after beating it, that I cannot imagine being able to wrestle it into a pastry bag and then piping it out. Has anyone done this? Is there something different you have to do to the recipe, or will it work to pipe without any adjustments?

ETA: correct typos

Edited January 23, 2012 by JeanneCake (log)

[Darienne]

I have this vague memory from a couple of years ago when confectionery partner Barbara and I made green marshmallow lollipops for St. Patrick's and after the main slab had been cut out and assembled, Barbara took the slightly raggy cut-off ends and wrapped them around the sticks. It worked quite well.

(That was in my marshmallow craze period. )

[gap]

Is it really just that easy? It is so sticky after beating it, that I cannot imagine being able to wrestle it into a pastry bag and then piping it out. Has anyone done this? Is there something different you have to do to the recipe, or will it work to pipe without any adjustments?

A trick we used was to make a tube of baking paper (non stick type) around, say, a wooden spoon handle and sticky-tape it together so it stays in a tube shape. Then pipe the marshmallow into that, let it set and remove the baking paper.

[cookingofjoy]

I've not ever made a marshmallow pop, but I did do little rabbit "peeps", and piping a line should be fine. The peeps were a little bit of a pain for the ears and tail, but piping a line would be no problem. I did need a fairly firm marshmallow, though. My first try using a Martha Stewart recipe for piping wasn't quite firm enough and my rabbits flattened into little trilobites The second go around, I used nightscotsman's and it worked great!

[tikidoc]

I've only ever made marshmallows in pans but I remember seeing a Good Eats episode on marshmallows when Browm piped them in rows, then snipped them with scissors to make mini marshmallows for use in hot drinks and it did not look hard. As I remember, he used a ziplock bag with the tip cut off, and even with, that they looked pretty even. I would expect someone good with a piping bag could make them very even.

[CanadianBakin']

Gourmet Foods Vancouver is a new customer of mine and they made a short video of me making our Cocoa Mallow marshmallows. I thought you might like to watch it.

I've got to say it's amazing the wonders they do when editing.

[Kerry Beal]

That's great Tina! Thanks for posting it.

Love that mixer - "I don't need another kitchen toy" she keeps repeating to herself!!!

[Darienne]

Really enjoyed watching your video. And ditto for the mixer.

[CanadianBakin']

Thanks Ladies! I love my Bosch mixer(s). I actually have 3 now. Yikes! We work them to the bone and the only problems I've had are breaking the cookie paddles, which are quickly replaced under warranty, and minor problems with a couple of the metal hubs. I think it may be due to slight warping because they get so hot when we're using them as well as in the sanitizer. We buy them at http://healthykitchens.com/ and they have fantastic customer service. My assistant loves them enough that she bought her own for home.