Raspberry & Vanilla Homemade Marshmallows {Egg Free, Gluten Free}

Name: Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows {Egg Free, Gluten Free}
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 32
Ingredients: Two sachets powdered gelatine (about 20g); 120 ml warm water; 440 g sugar; 100 g golden or corn syrup; 200 ml water; A dab of pink food colouring; 1/2 tsp vanilla powder; 2 tbs cornflour; 2 tbs icing sugar; 1 tbs freeze dried raspberries (optional)

Homemade Marshmallows

Homemade marshmallows are a joy to eat. Light, soft and fluffy without a hint of chewiness they are poles apart from their chewy, rubbery mass produced poor relations Mine are so soft and pillowly I want to make a giant one and sleep on it, I am sure it would guarantee a good night’s sleep.

If you love good quality homemade marshmallows there are more and more people making them, in a variety of flavours, but at about £1 a piece it in an expensive indulgence, and making your own is so much cheaper, and certainly far more satisfying.

How to Make Homemade Marshmellows

Marshmallows are remarkably simple to make, with three main ingredients – sugar, syrup and gelatine – you can also use egg white, but having experimented I far prefer egg free marshmallows – I find them softer and creamier. You do need two pieces of specialist equipment – a stand mixer, and an accurate sugar thermometer, I use my trusty Thermapen®, with its ultra clear display, quick reading and long probe so I can stay well away from the hot sticky sugar syrup.

What Temperature Should the Sugar Be?

As well as being ideal for candy making where the temperature of the sugar syrup is crucial, the Thermapen® is also idea for checking that meat and poultry is properly cooked and for jam and jelly making – I also used it the other day to check the temperature of my slow cooker, which I now use as a Sous Vide. Read my full Thermapen® review here, but the main reasons that I am super impressed with the Thermapen® are:-

Takes a reading in less than 3 seconds
The display is backlit in dim light
The display rotates so it is easily readable whichever way up, and in whichever hand you are holding it
The probe is easy to clean
It takes a standard AAA battery (but with a 3000 hour life the battery will probably never need replacing) and the Thermapen® switches itself off after a few seconds when you put it down.
It measures temperatures between -49.9C to 299.9C

The Thermapen® is available in 10 bright colours for £60 and will last you a lifetime.

To make the marshmallow you pour the hot sugar syrup over dissolved gelatine and whisk and whisk and whisk at high speed until the mixture suddenly expands and becomes thick and sticky. I’d really not want to make it with an electric hand whisk, I do not think most have the strength or staying power.

Marshmallow is sticky, sticky, sticky and then even more sticky, be prepared to have a shower and wash your hair after making them (so speaks the voice of experience). Obviously sugar syrup is hot and sticky and burns, keep children and pets out of the kitchen when making these.

I’ve found that the best way to cut the slab of fresh marshmallow up is to use a pair sharp kitchen scissors with some cooking oil rubbed into the blades. Simply cut the block into strips, then into pieces before dusting all the sticky surfaces with a mixture of cornflour and icing sugar.

4.96 from 21 votes

Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows {Egg Free, Gluten Free}

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Homemade marshmallows are delicious - light, fluffy and soft - a world away from regular store bought. They are really very simple to make and well worth the effort and store well. Egg and Gluten Free!

Course: Candy

Cuisine: Sweet / Candy

Keyword: homemade marshmallows

Servings: 32

Calories: 69 kcal

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Ingredients

Two sachets powdered gelatine about 20g
120 ml warm water
440 g sugar
100 g golden or corn syrup
200 ml water
A dab of pink food colouring
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
2 tbs cornflour
2 tbs icing sugar
1 tbs freeze dried raspberries optional

Instructions

Pour the 120ml warm water into a small pan and sprinkle the gelatine over, gently stir and set to one side to allow the gelatine to swell or “bloom”.
Place the sugar, syrup and remaining 200ml or water into a heavy saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer until the syrup is at 120C. As it approaches this temperature the bubbles will become smaller and the mixture will start to darken.
Whilst the sugar is heating, line a baking pan (about 30 x 20cm) with oiled cling film.
If needed, warm the gelatine gently to fully dissolve it, then add it to the bowl of your stand mixer and mix on a low speed with the whisk to prevent it from setting.
Once the sugar syrup has reached 120C increase the speed of the mixer to maximum and carefully pour the syrup over the gelatine. Whisk. The mix will puff up and after 5 – 10 minutes bubble gum like strands form. Whisk in the food colouring and vanilla.
Pour into the prepared pan and leave at room temperature, covered with another sheet of oiled clingfilm for 2 hours until set.
Mix the cornflour, icing sugar and raspberry pieces (if using) and liberally dust a board with it, turn the set block of marshmallow out, teasing the cling film from it. With a pair of oiled kitchen scissors cut the marshmallow into cubes dusting each freshly cut surface with the cornflour mix as you go. I found the cutting was the hardest part of the process, the marshmallow is fairly forgiving and robust so you can pull it around a fair bit.

Recipe Notes

ALLERGY WARNING: Make sure to read the labels of all ingredients as some gelatine packets may contain gluten.
This recipe is 4 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows {Egg Free, Gluten Free}

Amount Per Serving

Calories 69

% Daily Value*

Sodium 1mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 17g 6%

Sugars 16g

Vitamin C 0.1%

Iron 0.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.