Project Marshmallow
Just as in clothing, food has fads and fashions. We have seen the Red Velvet period, the cupcake era and now Marshmallows seem to be THE thing. I've seen photos of marshmallows cut into delicate snowflake shapes floating on top of steaming mugs of cocoa, tinted delicate pink and cut into love hearts and perfect white pillows of fluff. So I thought, lets give this marshmallow thing a try! How hard can it be?
So I assembled all the necessary equipment and supplies, picked out a recipe that I thought would be successful and Project Marshmallow was underway.
There aren't many ingredients in marshmallows mostly sugar, egg whites, gelatin, vanilla and water.
The most complicated part was making the sugar syrup which gets beaten into two whipped egg whites.
The electric mixer does all the work. Once the marshmallow mixture is this thick and very fluffy....
You pour it into a pan that has been lightly oiled and dusted with a combination of icing sugar and cornflour (corn starch).
Leave the marshmallow to 'set' for a few hours.
Then you are ready to cut out all those lovely snowflakes and hearts. But something wasn't quite right about my marshmallow. It tastes lovely but it's more marshmallow fluff than marshmallows.
I retraced my steps and reread the recipe, nothing was omitted... well, not completely omitted. I think I know the problem, I didn't weigh the gelatin properly. OK, so I messed up! I am sure my slightly sticky marshmallows will be eaten.... I've already eaten three today! Project Marshmallow will continue, one little mistake doesn't discourage me... too much.
So I assembled all the necessary equipment and supplies, picked out a recipe that I thought would be successful and Project Marshmallow was underway.
There aren't many ingredients in marshmallows mostly sugar, egg whites, gelatin, vanilla and water.
The most complicated part was making the sugar syrup which gets beaten into two whipped egg whites.
The electric mixer does all the work. Once the marshmallow mixture is this thick and very fluffy....
You pour it into a pan that has been lightly oiled and dusted with a combination of icing sugar and cornflour (corn starch).
Leave the marshmallow to 'set' for a few hours.
Then you are ready to cut out all those lovely snowflakes and hearts. But something wasn't quite right about my marshmallow. It tastes lovely but it's more marshmallow fluff than marshmallows.
I retraced my steps and reread the recipe, nothing was omitted... well, not completely omitted. I think I know the problem, I didn't weigh the gelatin properly. OK, so I messed up! I am sure my slightly sticky marshmallows will be eaten.... I've already eaten three today! Project Marshmallow will continue, one little mistake doesn't discourage me... too much.
I love making marshmallows! Persevere Debs, they can be fiddly but they are worth it :)
ReplyDeleteActually, you inspired me to give marshmallow making a try. Your marshmallows looked so good!
DeleteDidn't Hugh F-W make marshmallows coloured with beetroot juice?
ReplyDeleteYes he did! And it was his recipe I used. It would have worked a treat IF I had followed it properly! : )
DeletePlace a marsh mallow in the microwave for under a minute it will become big!
ReplyDeleteI would be afraid to put one of my mutant marshmallows into the microwave. It might turn into the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Monster from 'Ghost Busters'!
DeleteI used to make the ones in Jane Brocket's book The Gentle Art of Domesticity. They are lovely, might have to surprise The Teen and make him some for old time's sake!
ReplyDeleteHe would love that, I am sure. I am going to give them another try and actually put in all of the ingredients required! : )
DeleteIt's funny whenever you bake and it does not turn out perfect it still gets eaten! I've yet to try making Marshmallows but it's moving closer to the top of my list, I think yours look fabulous.
ReplyDeleteAngela
Thanks Angela! : ) Nothing much goes to waste at our house. I've been lucky with my kitchen experiments and you never know until you try. And in the case of marshmallows, I'll have to try again!
DeleteOh so cute!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to try to make the "guimauve",
I don't know if I would be able to use the leaves of gelatin
I think you should be able to use leaf gelatin or the powdered gelatin. I have found lots of recipes for marshmallows on the internet so I am certain there must be one using leaf gelatin out there somewhere. : )
Delete