Okay, I know you probably come here to find recipes for things that are healthy- or for unhealthy things that I have probably recreated in a healthy way.
Since I love honesty and the beauty of being straightforward, let me just put this out there now- these are not healthy.
I mean, they are marshmallows, after all. If you’re like me, you probably love marshmallows but hate that they are so bad for you. What I can tell you is that although nothing about inverted sugar, gelatin, and more sugar is healthy, there are no chemicals or weird ingredients that you cannot pronounce.
Also, believe it or not, they are pretty dang simple.
So, if you love your marshmallows enough to forget about the sugar and splurge a little on your s’mores- follow along for a super easy tutorial!
Before you even get started on the actual marshmallows, it is important to go ahead and heavily grease whatever pan you want to settle the marshmallows in. You don’t want to be stuck with a bowl full of marshmallows (pun intended) and have to allow them to settle there while you scramble to grease a pan. You can use a cookie sheet or a 9×13- whatever size pan you use will determine the thickness of your marshmallows.
I started out with these simple ingredients:
The very first thing I did was put my cold water in my stainless steel mixing bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top to soften. Doing this at the beginning is essential, as you want your gelatin to already be formed by the time you add your “marshmallow cream” to it. It should look a little something like this (I know, gross!):
The next thing I did was combine my first bit of corn syrup with sugar and water and place it over medium heat. It is really important to have a candy thermometer for this if you want to get great results. It also really helps A LOT with safety, especially if you want to include your little ones in this project.
At this point you will want to leave the sugar mixture alone and just allow it to cook- do not stir. Place your candy thermometer on the inside of the pan, and watch for it to reach 240 degrees. Once you see that temperature, trust it.
Remove the mixture from the heat and add the remaining corn syrup.
Use the whisk attachment on your mixture and turn it to low to beginning whisking the gelatin mixture.
Add the sugar mixture in a slow and steady stream. Turn up the mixer and beat until the mixture triples in volume and becomes stiff. You an add any flavors you want at this point! (vanilla, peppermint, almond, butter… get creative)
About halfway through this mixing stage it should look something like this:
Once your mixture has tripled in volume and become sticky, spread it evenly into your greased pan. You can grease a rubber spatula to help you spread it out!
At this point, if you want to add sprinkles to your marshmallows, it is the perfect time! The mixture is not only sticky, but still considered wet, and the sprinkles (or mini chocolate chips) will stick very well!
Let the marshmallows cool for about three hours before touching them. After they have cooled and settled, you can spread powdered sugar across the top, and flip the sheet of marshmallow out onto a clean surface. You will then need to spread powdered sugar across the bottom. You can either grease a knife and cute your marshmallow into squares, or you can use a cookie cutter to create fun shapes! (definitely the more exciting way to go, and personally I think it is easier!)
After they are cut, I like to flip them back over to allow the sprinkled side to be the top!
DIY Marshmallows
Here's What You Need
- 180 mL cold water
- 45 g powdered gelatin
- 500 g sugar
- 180 mL corn syrup
- 180 mL water
- 60 mL corn syrup
- 15 mL vanilla or other flavor
Here's What You Do
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Heavily grease a cookie sheet or 9×13 pan.
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Pour cold water into mixing bowl and sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Cover and set aside. In a saucepan, combine sugar, 180mL corn syrup, and water. Allow to cook over medium heat until it reaches 240F. Do not stir! Remove from heat and add remaining 60mL corn syrup.
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Using the whisk attachment, begin to beat the gelatin mixture. Slowly and steadily add the sugar mixture. Turn up the mixer and beat until the mixture triples in volume and becomes stiff and sticky. During this mixing, you can add whatever flavor you choose! Spread the mixture evenly into your greased pan and allow to cool for three hours. After cooled, spread powdered sugar across the top and flip the sheet of marshmallow onto a clean surface. Coat the other side with powdered sugar, then use either a greased knife or cookie cutter to cut your marshmallows into whatever shape you would like!
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Enjoy in s’mores, hot chocolate, or just because!
