Fluffy Homemade Marshmallows
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert; Marshmallow
Prep: 
Total time: 
Serves: 50
 
A fluffy, springy, bouncy, gooey marshmallow.
Ingredients
  • About 1 cup icing (confectioners') sugar
  • 3½ envelopes (2 Tbsp + 2 2½ tsp) unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup cold water, divided
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Spray a 9x13" metal baking pan with cooking spray and dust bottom and sides lightly with some of the icing sugar. Set aside.
  2. In bowl of stand mixer, sprinkle gelatin over ½ cup cold water, and let stand to soften.
  3. Meanwhile, in a 3-qt heavy saucepan over low heat, stir together granulated sugar, corn syrup, other ½ cup cold water, and salt with a wooden spoon, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
  4. When sugar is dissolved, increase heat to moderate and bring to a boil. Let boil, without stirring, for about 11-12 minutes, or until a candy thermometer registers 240F (we did not have a thermometer and went solely on time, and it worked fine).
  5. Remove pan from heat and pour mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
  6. Beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about 6 minutes for a stand mixer or 10 minutes for a hand-held mixer. (This is the really cool part where you'll want to invite spectators).
  7. In separate small bowl, with clean beaters, beat egg whites just until they hold stiff peaks. Add whites and vanilla to sugar mixture and beat just until combined.
  8. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and sift ¼ cup of icing sugar over top. Chill marshmallow, UNCOVERED, until firm, 3 hours or more, up to one day or overnight.
  9. To remove, run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert onto large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, loosen one corner of marshmallows with your fingers and ease the whole thing onto the cutting board.
  10. Cut into roughly 1" cubes - a lightly oiled pizza cutter works great!
  11. Sift remaining icing sugar into your now-empty baking pan and roll each marshmallow in it, all six sides, before packing away in airtight containers in a single layer or between wax paper or parchment paper.
  12. Enjoy as-is, throw in hot chocolate, broil for 30 seconds for a campfire-reminiscent treat, or use in your favorite recipes as you would use any marshmallows.
Notes
Store at cool room temperature or in the fridge. The icing sugar will absorb into the marshmallows during storage, making them slightly stickier, but you can re-roll them in icing sugar if necessary (or just lick your fingers with wild abandon :)). I have written the recipe exactly as it is found on Smitten Kitchen since I know she does an amazing job testing and perfecting recipes and it WILL work. Having said that, I worked with what I had on hand and the following changes still resulted in a fantastic end product: - 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin - regular corn syrup (my marshmallows were slightly less crisp-white due to this) - 2 extra-large egg whites, since I didn't have any large eggs Let me know if you try any other variations, or switch up the flavors, add food coloring, or anything else equally fun!
Recipe by Hidden Ponies at https://hiddenponies.com/2012/01/fluffy-homemade-marshmallows/