Marshmallows

Marshmallows sound complicated but they are in fact super simple to make! I can’t even explain how good these are, once you’ve tasted them, you won’t want the shop-bought version ever again (this is coming from a self-confessed marshmallow addict).  These are a classic vanilla but you can play around with flavours.

Makes around 30

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
7 sheets of gelatine
350g caster sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
200ml cold water (plus extra for soaking gelatine)
Pinch of salt
1tsp vanilla extract
Oil for greasing
35g cornflour (for dusting)
35g icing sugar (for dusting)

You will need a sugar/jam thermometer for this.

Method:

1. In a bowl, sift together the cornflour and icing sugar. Lightly grease a 20x30cm baking tray and coat liberally with a couple tablespoons of the cornflour/icing sugar mix. Set both the remaining mix and the prepared tray aside for later.

2. Soak the gelatine sheets by submerging them in enough cold water to cover and leave to soften.

3. Add the caster sugar, golden syrup, a pinch of salt and 200ml of cold water to a pan - bring to the boil then leave on a medium heat until it hits 125ºC on the sugar thermometer. It should take about 10 minutes.

4. Whilst the sugar syrup is getting there, whisk the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until you get stiff peaks.

5. Once your sugar syrup is ready, take it off the heat. Drain the water from the gelatine sheets and add the sheets to the sugar syrup. I like to use a hand whisk to incorporate them, the sheets will dissolve fairly fast.

6. Using your electric whisk on a medium speed, slowly add the sugar syrup into your whisked egg whites in a slow and steady stream. If you have a second pair of hands that can help you, this is the time to put them to use! If not, I like to decant may sugar syrup from the pan into a heatproof jug, it makes it much easier to pour one handed whilst using the hand mixer.

7. Once the syrup is fully incorporated, switch the speed of the mixer to it’s fastest setting and whisk for a full 5 minutes. In this time, the marshmallow will get thicker and get super shiny. Just before you’ve finished whisking, add the vanilla extract.

8. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth over and leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours.

9. When you’re ready to portion your marshmallows, dust your work surface liberally with the cornflour/icing sugar mix from earlier. Turn out the marshmallow from the tin, you will have to tease it away from the edge initially but after that it should come out with ease. Cut to roughly 3cm squares and toss in the powder, ensuring all cut sides have been dusted.

10. Keep in an airtight container.