Recipe: Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

Making your own marshmallows is an ideal Easter weekend activity. While the preparation and mixing doesn't take long, you will need to wait for the marshmallows to set. A set of digital scales and a sugar thermometer are recommended for this recipe.

Bet Gee's Pineapple Lump Marshmallows Photo: Lottie Hedley

Prep time: 5 mins
Cooking and mixing time: about 40 mins
Setting time: 4-6 hours, ideally overnight

Makes 64 pieces

Ingredients
125 g (4½ oz) water minus 1 tablespoon
20 g (¾ oz) powdered gelatine
2 x 85 g (3 oz) glucose
170 g (5¾ oz) caster sugar
62 g (2¼ oz) water
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon good quality vanilla bean paste
50 g (1¾ oz) cornflour
50 g (1¾ oz) icing sugar

Method
Prep a 20 cm (8 in) square tin by spraying with cooking spray; set aside.

Combine the first lot of water and the gelatine in a microwave-safe bowl, and set aside to bloom.

Combine the first 85 g (3 oz) glucose with the sugar, second lot of water and salt in a pot and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Set your digital thermometer to alarm at 122°C (252°F) and put it in the pot. When the sugar syrup reaches about 115°C (239°F), heat the bloomed gelatine in the microwave for 2 mins or until the gelatine melts and becomes liquid.

Place the remaining 85 g (3 oz) glucose in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the liquid gelatine and start mixing on low.

When your sugar syrup reaches 122°C (252°F), slowly pour it into the mixer, being careful to pour it down the side of the bowl not directly onto the whisk. Cover the mixer with a clean tea towel and turn to high speed for 10-12 mins-the bowl should become lukewarm to the touch.

Stop the mixer, add the vanillas and/or any other flavours and colours (see overleaf) and turn back onto high speed to combine. Scrape the marshmallow into your prepared tin and smooth with a non-stick spatula.

You know you want to lick that bowl . . . go on, DO IT.

Allow at least 4-6 hours for the marshmallow to set; overnight is best.

Sift the cornflour and icing sugar together into a large container. This is your dusting mix. Dust your bench with a little dusting mix, then remove the marshmallow slab from the tin and dust that too. Cut the marshmallow into 8 squares x 8 squares. Put these back in your large container, put the lid on and give it a vigorous shake shake shake-this will coat all the marshmallows and keep them from sticking together.

Store in an airtight container-they will keep for at least 2 months.

FLAVOUR OPTIONS

Pineapple Lump Marshmallows (pictured)
After your marshmallow has whipped for 10-12 mins, stop the mixer and add 1 teaspoon yellow gel colour and ¼ teaspoon pineapple flavor (LorAnn). Mix on high for a further 2 mins to combine. Add ½ cup of small chocolate chips and fold through using a non-stick spatula. Once the mixture is in the tin and smoothed out, sprinkle more chocolate on top.

Strawberry Marshmallows
After the marshmallow has whipped for 10-12 mins, stop the mixer and add ½ teaspoon pink gel colour, ½ teaspoon strawberry flavour (LorAnn) and 10 g (¼ oz) roughly crushed freeze-dried strawberry slices. Mix on high for 2 mins to combine. Once the mixture is in the tin and smoothed out, crush more freeze-dried strawberries on top.

Marbled Marshmallows
Separate off about 1 cup of marshmallow mixture, add your desired marble colour to this portion and mix until completely coloured. Put the coloured marshmallow back into the mixture and fold gently until the desired marbled effect is achieved.

Fairy Bread Marshmallows
Use the basic vanilla bean recipe. Spread half the mixture into your tin, sprinkle generously with hundreds and thousands, then cover with the remaining mixture.