Baking: Homemade Marshmallows

Another addition to the cookie bags this year will be homemade marshmallows.

Ingredients

1 cup cold water

3 tablespoons (3 envelopes) unflavored gelatin

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Confectioners sugar (for coating the marshmallows)

Instructions

1.Cut a piece of aluminum foil long enough to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Place the foil in the pan and press it gently into place. With a pastry brush or crumpled wax paper coat the foil thoroughly but lightly with vegetable shortening. Set aside.

2. Place 1/2 cup cold water in the large bowl of an electric mixer, Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the water and set aside. Notice, it is not imperative to use a halloween dish but nice to mix your holidays. I doubled this recipe so I have 1 cup of cold water and 6 packets of unflavored gelatin.

Place the sugar, corn syrup, salt and the other 1/2 cup water in a heavy 1-1/2 quart or 2 quart saucepan over moderately low heat.

Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil.Raise the heat to high, insert a candy thermometer, and let the syrup boil without stirring until the temperature reaches 240 degrees. This process takes a little while so be patient.

Almost there but it has to be 240 degrees, or soft ball stage.

Do not overcook. Remove from the heat.

Beating constantly at medium speed, pour the syrup slowly into the gelatin mixture. After all the syrup has been added, increase the speed to high and beat for 15 minutes until the mixture is lukewarm, snowy white, and the consistency of whipped marshmallow, adding the vanilla a few minutes before the end of the beating. (During the beating, occasionally scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. The marshmallow will thicken and become sticky -- if the mixture crawls up on the beaters as it thickens, carefully wipe it down with a rubber spatula.)

After two minutes of mixing.

After four minutes of mixing

10 minutes of mixing, here you need to add vanilla. A side note, you can add peppermint extract or any other flavoring you would like.

Pour the slightly warm and thick marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and, with your forefinger, scrape all the mixture off the beaters. Smooth the top of the marshmallow.

Let stand uncovered at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours or longer if it is more convenient.

Then sift or strain confectioners sugar generously onto a large cutting board to cover a surface larger then your pan. Invert the marshmallow over the sugared surface. Remove the pan and peel off the foil. Strain confectioners sugar generously over the top of the marshmallow.

Prepare a long, heavy, sharp knife by brushing the blade lightly with vegetable shortening. Cutting down firmly with the full length of the blade, cut the marshmallow into 1 inch strips and each strip into 1 inch squares. Place the cubes on a cookie sheet with extra sugar in it. You can cut out the marshmallows into shapes, or pipe into PEEP's at this point.

I put the marshmallows into a bag and tie with a ribbon. I wish I could send each and everyone of you a bag.... You are all so great.

The ribbon is a personalized ribbon from an absolutely fabulous company, The am going to tell you about the ribbon. It comes from a company called Finer Ribbon.com. This ribbon is double sided satin with a message on one side. 100 yards was approximately $35. They sent me a pdf to proof and were absolutely great. I will buy from them again and often.



Okay, if you spend all day baking and make marshmallows, here is what your kitchen will look like before...... YIKES.


I am off to bake sugar cookies and will be back to blog later today.