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The ever versatile marshmallow is possibly one of the most amazing candy ever invented as far as I’m concerned. Who could possibly resist the temptation of the soft and fluffy goodness that is the marshmallow?

The Egyptians couldn’t when they discovered mixing honey, nuts and the sap from the root of Marsh-Mallow plant commonly found on the banks of large bodies of water, produced a confection fit not only for their pharoahs but their gods as well. Grecian children couldn’t when the Greeks used whipped Marshmallow and sugar to helped the medicine go down. Then the French came along with a concoction of water, egg whites, sugar and marsh-mallow root sap, whipped to a frothy consistency and the Marshmallow was propelled to its iconic status today. Eventually, marsh-mallow sap was replaced by the use of gelatin and became the modern marshmallow as we know it, often used in everything from snacks, desserts to main course dishes.

I’ve always remembered buying the Kraft bags as a child and diving into the yummy pieces of clouds whole, sometimes several at a time just to see how many I could squeeze into my mouth. (I’m sure my mother has a photo of it somewhere) My love affair with it has not diminished any with age. For a long time, I’ve heard stories about the divine wonders of homemade marshmallows. But why should I make them at home when they’re so readily available locally? Because, it’s fun and because I can, thanks to the generous bloggers who were willing to share their recipes and techniques. And it’s everything it’s cracked up to be. Its fresh, soft, gooey texture as it melts into a a viscous puddle of love is ambrosial. Who am I to argue with the gods?

The recipe below adapted from Alton Brown’s recipe on FoodNetwork.com.

Homemade Marshmallows

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup ice cold water, divided
• 12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1-1/2 cups
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• non-stick spray

Directions

1. First, gather all your ingredients. trust me, it’s easier this way.

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

3. 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 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

5. While the sugar mixture is heating up, lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. (If you like a thicker mallow, use a smaller pan with taller sides.) Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and coat the bottoms and sides of the baking pan with the mixture. Save the rest for later use.

6. Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture.

7. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes.

8. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. (At this stage, you can use the fluffy goodness as is for some incredible rice krispy treats – a little melted butter can be whipped in here as well if desired)

9. When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan.

10. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

11. Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners’ sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Tada!  Cleanup is a snap when you have a sink of hot water nearby but that will have to wait. I’m getting out the hot cocao so I can go commune with the gods! Cheers!

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Grocery stores in Hastings include:

• Allen’s
• Sunmart
• Russ’s IGA
• Walmart

About the author: Jeannette Bierman

Jean Bierman settled in Hastings after graduating Hastings College in 1993. A self proclaimed geek techie, she is insanely interested in everything. When she’s not glass blowing, scouring the web, reading, or dog sledding with her husband, Todd and Samoyeds, Koda and Roxanne, she’s in the kitchen uncovering secrets to all things food. She claims she does know everything, just not everything at once.