Seasonal Flavored Marshmallows

This post comes courtesy of Jennifer Farley, blogger, recipe developer and food photographer at Savory Simple. 

I call these seasonal marshmallows, but I’m pretty sure they’ll be wonderful any time of year. Still, what’s better in the cold winter months than hot chocolate with marshmallows?

 

I decided to make three separate flavored marshmallows to give away in goody bags at Thanksgiving: pumpkin spiced marshmallows, cardamom marshmallows and cinnamon marshmallows. This recipe is incredibly flexible and you can use just about any spice or extract you want. How about peppermint or nutmeg marshmallows? Have fun with it!

 

You’ll need a stand mixer and a candy thermometer. A pizza cutter is useful for cutting even marshmallows, but you can also use a regular knife. I’ve used gelatin sheets because I think they give better results, but you can easily substitute them with powdered gelatin.

 

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito

 

Seasonal Flavored Marshmallows

 

12 gelatin sheets

2 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

for cardamom marshmallows: 1 Tbs. cardamom

for cinnamon marshmallows: 1 Tbs. cinnamon

for pumpkin marshmallows: 1 Tbs. pumpkin pie spice & 1 Tbs. pumpkin powder

 

Mix the confectioners sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.

 

Grease a 9×13 baking dish (I use cooking spray with flour) and line the bottom with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over two sides.  Lightly grease the top of the parchment paper.

 

Soak the gelatin sheets in a large metal bowl filled with ice water and set aside.

 

Add 1/2 cup of corn syrup to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.

 

In a medium saucepan, gently stir together the sugar, remaining 1/2 cup corn syrup and 1/2 cup water. Turn the heat to medium high and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan.

 

Set up a double boiler: bring some water to a boil in a small to medium saucepan. Drain the water from the bowl of gelatin and gently squeeze the softened sheets to remove excess water. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan and allow the gelatin to melt while stirring with a heat resistant spatula.

 

Add the melted gelatin to the stand mixer and turn the speed on low.

 

When the sugar mixture reaches the soft ball stage (235 to 240 degrees F), remove from the heat. Slowly and carefully pour the hot sugar down the side of the mixer bowl. When all of the sugar has been added, turn the mixer up to high and allow it mix for around 5 minutes, or until it begins to turn white and fluffy.

 

Now is the time to add your flavors. Turn the mixer down to medium and slowly add the spice, making sure to scrape down the side if any gets stuck. Continue to beat the mixture until it’s thick.

 

Quickly pour the mixture into the prepared pan.  You don’t need to even out the tops; it should fall into place and smooth out on it’s own.

 

Allow the marshmallows to cool for 6 hours or overnight.

 

Dust the top of the marshmallow with the confectioners’ sugar-cornstarch mixture. Using the sides of the parchment, remove the marshmallow from the pan and place it on a cutting board.

 

Use a pizza cutter to create 1 inch by 1 inch marshmallows (or whatever size you prefer). As you cut them, dust the sides with the cornstarch mixture to prevent sticking.

 

Store them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

 

About the author: Jennifer Farley is the owner, recipe developer and food photographer of Savory Simple. She graduated from the Culinary Arts program at L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, MD where she trained in classic French technique. Jennifer currently works as a recreational cooking instructor and social media marketer. She resides in the Washington DC metropolitan area and can often be found exploring the local culinary scene in search of new inspiration.