Homemade Marshmallows: Recipes & Tips (Part 1)

[rickster]

I made the strawberry ones the other night and they turned out pretty good. I pureed some frozen strawberries and would have preferred a bit stronger flavor. In the Paris Sweets book, Dorie Greenspan has a recipe for strawberry marshmallows which has a similar ingredient list but also includes egg whites. I'm curious whether they make any difference (lighter, fluffier texture?). I also saved part of the pan unpowdered and will try cutting and dipping them in chocolate this weekend.

Edited December 16, 2004 by rickster (log)

[lannie]

Thanks for the recipe Nightscotsman and for all the tips from everyone. I just made a batch of Vanilla Marshmallows to be added to a S'mores Kit Christmas prezzie for my nephew - he's going to have *so* much fun nuking these in the microwave!

Just a question... Did anyone else find it a bugger to separate the foil from the marshmallow slab? It was quite a task... Would parchment or a Silpat work better? Or do I need to put a lot of oil on the foil next time?

[nightscotsman]

Last night I finally had time to make the marshmallows, following Nightscotsman's recipe. Thank you nightscotsman. (I do have a question--what made you want to change the Martha Stewart recipe and what was your reasoning? I'm curious about the thought process of a real pastry chef  ).

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I basically just changed the Martha recipe to add purees for flavor. I also thought she has you whip for too long in her directions. By the way, when I first made them I was using intensely flavorful local NW berries that my brother picked, so the small amount of puree gave plenty of flavor. Using standard supermarket frozen strawberries won't be as strong - though usually better than the crappy fresh ones that are picked too early when they're hard as rocks.

I made the strawberry ones the other night and they turned out pretty good. I pureed some frozen strawberries and would have preferred a bit stronger flavor. In the Paris Sweets book, Dorie Greenspan has a recipe for strawberry marshmallows which has a similar ingredient list but also includes egg whites. I'm curious whether they make any difference (lighter, fluffier texture?). I also saved part of the pan unpowdered and will try cutting and dipping them in chocolate this weekend.

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I actually tried the strawberry ones from Paris Sweets first. I thought they were nice, but a little too light and insubstantial. I was looking for marshmallows with a thicker, creamier consistency.

Just a question...  Did anyone else find it a bugger to separate the foil from the marshmallow slab?  It was quite a task...  Would parchment or a Silpat work better?  Or do I need to put a lot of oil on the foil next time? 

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If you use a non-stick spray like Pam, you should have no problems. The sprays contain lecithin which makes them more effective.

[Anni]

Another "me too"! Thank you, nightscotsman, for this recipe!

I've made vanilla and chocolate versions so far, and they're great. I've been putting these babies in holiday goodie gift baskets for friends. The reaction I get when I say "homemade marshmallows" is funny -- one person was amazed and said "I didn't know you could make these at home."

This recipes is soooo easy, and there are so many possibilities (I've got some boysenberry puree in the freezer that's calling to me... ooh, apricot too).

[fou de Bassan]

In response to Canadian Bakin' : I made raspberry marshmallows with Chambord the other day and was floored! I now keep 1/2 cup measures of fruit puree in the freezer specifically for marshmallow making. I have to thank night scotsman for that wonderful idea, because, although I've been making marshmallows for a while with different extracts I never would have added fruit puree. Now, I'm thinking of savory marshmallows. Has anyone tried this?

[nightscotsman]

Now, I'm thinking of savory marshmallows.  Has anyone tried this?

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Curry could be interesing...

This "weekend" (Tuesday and Wednesday for me) I was thinking of working on an eggnog version. I'll post the recipe if I have any success.

[CanadianBakin']

In response to Canadian Bakin' : I made raspberry marshmallows with Chambord the other day and was floored!

fou de Bassan - How much liqueur did you use per recipe?

[achevres]

Last night a friend of mine and our two daughters decorated gingerbread houses and I made hot chocolate (combo of Hershey's cocoa and Spanish bar chocolate for hot chocolate) with, of course, the home made marshmallows ("What? I didn't know one could make marshmallows."). They were soooo good, and especially, for me, the cinammon ones. These marshmallows don't dissappear in the hot chocolate, but remain substantial.

[Joni]

In response to Canadian Bakin' : I made raspberry marshmallows with Chambord the other day and was floored!

I have some cassis syrup from Williams Sonoma...what measurement do you think I should use...and I would also like to know how much Chambord you used. Thanks!

[viva]

I made chocolate and Frangelico 'mallows according to the chocolate variation listed above, and just replaced the water with the Frangelico. Worked very nicely. I might try it again with Kahlua.

Raspberries and Chambord sound delightful!

[Patrick S]

Raspberries and Chambord does sound really good. Of the three types I've made so far, strawberry, chocolate and vanilla, the strawberry version with puree was by far the best tasting. So I imagine the raspberry would be similarly good. I have some framboise already, so I'd probably use that instead of Chambord. I still have lavender leaves to try too when I get around to it.

Rickster: I've only made marshmallows using egg whites one time, but for what its worth, my results were not very good. It was a recipe for cocoa marshmallows from Marcel Desaulnier's Celebrate With Chocolate. It was a slightly bigger hassle, because you had to use your mixer bowl for the whites, a double boiler for gelatin+espresso+liquer, and a pot for the sugar+corn syrup (whereas nightscotsman's method uses only a mixer bowl and a pot for the syrup). When I added the syrup to the whites, they got super-sticky and started climbing up the beater. And the end result just was not that good. Like I said, this is the one and only time I made marshmallows using whites, but it was definitely more effort for less return.

Edited December 21, 2004 by Patrick S (log)

[Joni]

I made chocolate and Frangelico 'mallows according to the chocolate variation listed above, and just replaced the water with the Frangelico.  Worked very nicely.  I might try it again with Kahlua.

replaced the water -- do you mean the water that you dissolve the gelatin in or the chocolate? Or the water in the sugar, syrup mix?? Thanks!

[viva]

I made chocolate and Frangelico 'mallows according to the chocolate variation listed above, and just replaced the water with the Frangelico.  Worked very nicely.  I might try it again with Kahlua.

replaced the water -- do you mean the water that you dissolve the gelatin in or the chocolate?  Or the water in the sugar, syrup mix??  Thanks!

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Water that I dissolved the gelatin in! The sugar syrup I didn't mess with.

Edited December 21, 2004 by viva (log)

[Mrs. P]

I made the vanilla marshmallows over the weekend, and swirled red into white. People love these things! "I didn't know you could actually MAKE marshmallows" people say. I took them to a cookie swap and I think they were pretty popular.

Like other people have mentioned, I had less corn syrup on hand than the recipe called for (a little over 1/2 cup only), so I made a bit more sugar syrup. I find that they are more dense and less moist than previous batches, which I kind of like better. However, they are drying out more quickly. Fortunately there are plenty of folks to gobble them up so they won't go bad!

I might try the cinnamon or peppermint ones next, or use some latin fruit purees to make curuba marshmallows.

[JanMcBaker]

Hi all--

Sorry if I'm repeating information already posted, but I confess that I haven't read all the marshmallow posts. However, I'll still add my 2 cents worth...... I recall reading some time ago in Cook's Illustrated that you can't always rely on the amounts given in the gelatin packets, and they found a wide variation in the amounts from envelope to envelope. So, unless the amounts in each are now more accurate and you don't buy gelatin in bulk, it's recommended that you empty all your packets into one container and measure it yourself as needed. Now, I gotta go try making myself some chocolate marshmallows!

[Wendy DeBord]

Welcome Janet! Good point, I don't recall anyone ever mentioning that. Hum.........that's a rip off if the package doesn't contain the weight posted. In all truth I think you can find similar examples in many/most products..........yet I can't understand why. I'd guess that the machines that do the packaging were adjustable..........maybe they don't check the acuracy of their scales often.........

[fou de Bassan]

Canadianbakin and joni,

sorry I have not answered sooner, have had bronchitis. I used about 1 teaspoon well filled with Chambord and found that result to be pleasant but not overpowering. Have also used the same amount of Amaretto but since I love Amaretto it was not nearly enough.

Nightscotsman, curry does sound interesting. I was thinking of making an infusion of thyme or tarragon but I think I will need to adjust the sugar amount. The idea of honey-thyme marshmallows sounds good in my head. I dont know...

[JanMcBaker]

Welcome Janet!  Good point, I don't recall anyone ever mentioning that. Hum.........that's a rip off if the package doesn't contain the weight posted. In all truth I think you can find similar examples in many/most products..........yet I can't understand why. I'd guess that the machines that do the packaging were adjustable..........maybe they don't check the acuracy of their scales often.........

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Thanks for the welcome, Sinclair. I think though if the total weight is correct, then that's legal. Sometimes I've found slight variations in sticks of butter too when I've weighed them. I think it's also why you see 'not labeled for individual sale' on sticks of butter, and other items. The total weight on the package has to be correct, not necessarily each item within. And no, it's been a more hectic weekend than I planned so I still haven't tried the marshmallows yet. Considering cocoa and Chambord. Love that combination!

[JanMcBaker]

My recipe for Strawberry Marshmallows is here. Is you want to make plain vanilla ones, you can replace the puree with 1/4 cup of water and add a teaspoon of vanilla, or scrape in some vanilla seeds.

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Well, I finally tried making my own marshmallows and they came out great! I used a recipe from a book I've had for ages-- Better than Store Bought. For some reason I just never made the marshmallows before. Seems to be pretty much what others used-- sugar, gelatin, corn syrup, etc.

However, I've got a couple questions that maybe nightscotsman can answer for me. While the glop was whipping up, I saw it was looking pretty much like the meringue does when I make meringue buttercream frosting. Any reason this wouldn't work? (Taking the lazy way out rather than trying it and wasting butter in case it doesn't work!)

Second-- I was in my local supermarket last night in the freezer section and notices this frozen baby food they started carrying. All natural, minimally processed, etc.. Well, some of the items they had were fruit puree-- ingredients were fruit and water. Could this work as flavoring for marshmallows? I haven't checked for the fruit purees that people were discussing in this thread so I don't know what the ingredients are, if there's anything besides fruit. Thanks for any advice!

[fou de Bassan]

McBaker,

The babyfood idea is interesting. Maybe you could make a puree and have a side-by-side comparison. My only thought is that the store purée might have more water and result in a weaker flavor, whereas with homemade you control the concentration of fruit(or whatever). Did you try the chocolate-chambord combo? If so, what were the results?

[nightscotsman]

However, I've got a couple questions that maybe nightscotsman can answer for me.  While the glop was whipping up, I saw it was looking pretty much like the meringue does when I make meringue buttercream frosting.  Any reason this wouldn't work? (Taking the lazy way out rather than trying it and wasting butter in case it doesn't work!)

There are two basic types of marshmallow recipes that I've seen - ones made with egg whites, which are meringue set with gelatine, and ones without whites like the one I posted here. If you're making an Italian meringue buttercream, then yes, you could add gelatine to the whipped whites and have marshmallow, though if you then continue and add the butter, you would just have a buttercream made thicker, less workable, and probably rubbery due to the gelatine, so I wouldn't recommend it.

[JanMcBaker]

McBaker,

The babyfood idea is interesting.  Maybe you could make a puree and have a side-by-side comparison.   My only thought is that the store purée might have more water and result in a weaker flavor, whereas with homemade you control the concentration of fruit(or whatever).   Did you try the chocolate-chambord combo?  If so, what were the results?

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No, haven't tried other than plain vanilla yet-- forgot to check what to do with the cocoa and liquer! But when I was mixing up my first batch the other night, there was a new container of cayenne pepper on the counter that hadn't been put away yet...... sweet and hot? Sounded interesting to me-- might try some in part of a batch. But definitely cocoa next !

And thank you Neil for the advice concerning the buttercream.

Edited January 12, 2005 by JanMcBaker (Janet McGlynn) (log)

[amccomb]

I know I've read here before that using something with fat messes with the ability of the mixture to become fluffy, but my husband is begging me to try to make peanut butter marshmallows. Could I make a plain version, whip it up to full fluffiness, and then right before spreading it into the pan, whip in the peanut butter? Is there some other way to get this to work?

[amccomb]

Sorry to post twice in a row, but I had another question. I just got back from the store and couldn't find potato starch (for coating the marshmallows) anywhere. Would it be somewhere other than the baking aisle? Could it be under a different name? If can't find it, can I use something else?

[Patrick S]

If your store has it, it would be in the baking section near the corn starch. You can use corn starch if you can't find potato starch.