Creating Marshmallows

Making Marshmallows
· Part of the “Adventures in using the Perfect Brownie Baking Pan” series

This recipe is from Ina Garten: Barefoot Countessa, Foodnetwork.

In your stand mixer:
½ cup cool water
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
Pour gelatin into water (in your mixing bowl) and allow to “bloom”. (Soften)

Sugar Syrup:
In a straight-sided saucepan:
½ cup water
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup light Karo syrup (corn syrup)
And your candy thermometer.

You will also need:
1 tsp vanilla (or other flavoring you desire)
½ tsp kosher salt
Powdered sugar

While gelatin is softening, put ingredients for sugar syrup in saucepan, with your candy thermometer. Cook on high until candy thermometer reads 240 degrees. Do not whisk, or stir this mixture very much.
When syrup has reached 240 degrees, take off heat and pour into your mixing bowl with your gelatin. Be careful. This liquid is like molten lava. Add the Vanilla extract and salt. With your whisk attachment on your stand mixer, start mixture first on low and then pressing it up until you reach the highest setting.
The original recipe state to mix for 15 minutes. Many reviews say that the marshmallow mixture is done at 10 minutes. I mixed mine for 12 minutes.
Prepare a 13 X 9 pan (or something similar) by spraying with Pam and dusting with powdered sugar.
When the mixture is done, transfer and/or wrestle the marshmallow from the mixing bowl into the pan to set.
After the marshmallows have set, dump onto a parchment paper or wax paper, cut the marshmallows and dust all sides with powdered sugar.

One note, there were some reviewers who said NOT to toast these marshmallows (like for s’mores) because they just melt. No one that I’ve given them to, have had the marshmallows for long enough for me to know whether or not this is true.
They are summarily gobbled up as though they are the last marshmallows civilization will ever see.

This Christmas season I was determined to try this recipe. My first batch turned out abysmal, I would mention. Don't use old Karo syrup, and make sure your sugar syrup does get up to 240 degrees. I would also use a straight sided sauce pan to make the syrup.
I have a (rather new) kitchenaid stand mixer, and I didn't have problems with the motor groaning. I mixed the mixture for 12 minutes, judging by the rubber-band-like strands of merang-ish mixture, that it was done.
I, completely, forgot the salt and vanilla.
The BEST bit of experimenting that I did, was, that I used my Perfect Brownie Baking pan for the marshmallows to "set" in and for segmenting/cutting the marshmallows. It worked like a charm. I sprayed with baking spray (even though the pan is non-stick) and the separators with baking spray (flour & oil). Also dusted the pan (but not the separators) with confectioner's sugar.
I live in Florida and it had been raining. Honestly, the humidity was NOT an issue for this process. After pressing the marshmallow into the pan (yes, I used all the mixture for the one brownie pan) with damp hands (that helps immensely). After that, I pressed the separator into the pan/marshmallow.
One hour later, the marshmallows were set, and pressed out of the segmentor with a spatula with no problems. I rolled them in powdered sugar. 18 Jumbo, creamy Marshmallows, was the result.
I had planned to create small gifts with an envelope of hot cocoa and one of these marshmallows (maybe in a mug) for my husband's office mates for the holidays. Husband (bless his heart) jumped the gun and took some to work as they were.
People went WILD over them, as did some of my friends.
I will make these again and again!

Until next time:
Eat something wonderful
and live a life worth loving!

-Kim