Making Marshmallows ~ A Sweet Treat

I used to think that projects such as making marshmallows was rocket science. How wrong I was. They are so simple to make and only require a few ingredients, the oddball item being "gelatin". Here is how I learned to make them based on Carla Emory's recipe in the Encyclopedia of Country Living. She makes everything sound easy! The results, however, resemble a gourmet food item that anyone would be proud of. Though they are not exactly like the store bought marshmallows, they do have their own creamy charm and go just as well with hot chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. gelatin (We use beef or vegetable versions.)
•  1/4 c. cold water
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. hot water
• dash of salt (We use sea salt.)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/8 c. powdered sugar
• 1/8 c. cornstarch

Special Supplies:

• A candy thermometer is handy though not necessary. In this recipe, you want to achieve a soft ball stage which can also be tested with this method.

Dissolve 1 tbsp. of gelatin into 1/4 cup of cold water. Break up any clumps and set aside.

Combine 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of hot water in a small sauce pan. Boil to the "soft ball stage" which can be tested with this method.

Or, place your candy thermometer inside and wait until it reaches approx. 235-245 degrees (f).

Remove sauce pan from heat and add the gelatin/water concoction, a dash of salt and 1 tsp. of vanilla to your syrup. Stir.

Beat your mixture until it becomes stiff which takes about 10-12 minutes. You must use an electric mixer for this.

Don't worry, as it whips it will become white! When it resembles a stiff, marshmallow cream, then it is ready.

Spread into a greased, small square pan and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, cut your chilled marshmallow mixture into desired shapes. I chose basic squares.

Roll each marshmallow in a mixture of 1/8 c. powdered sugar and 1/8 c. cornstarch. Make sure to cover all sides. This prevents them from sticking to everything. When you pull them out of the pan, you will understand :)

You will also want to tap off any excess powders when you are through. It begins to resemble a snowy day on your countertop.

Important Notes:

Due to the nature of the recipe, do not prepare on wet, rainy days.

You must store handmade marshmallows in a plastic bag or plastic wrap to prevent them from becoming hard. If they won't be eaten soon, I recommend storing them in the freezer.

You may also double the recipe and place finished mixture inside a greased, 9 by 13 inch pan.

These also make a sweet hostess gift when you apply some pretty paper decorations.

Print out our free printable onto white card-stock, cut along the bottom of the red striped line (scalloped scissors are fun to use). Fold in half over bag where the stripe starts. Place staple inside the black frames on each side of your clip art to secure your label. One recipe fills one quart sized bag. If you want to make smaller bags, then resize the clip art above to fit your needs.

You can even attach a gift tag (above) by hole punching the corner of each and tying together with a decorative ribbon.  Both are included on our printable. 

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