Snow White Masses...

I've never made friends with a candy thermometer. I've had a bad relationship with them since I was a kid. I guess I figured that anything that had to be done so precisely, in cooking, was not something I wanted to do. All this soft ball, hard ball, measurements and temperatures drove me nuts. I'd have rather tossed the baseball around in the park, soft or hard, than watch a candy thermometer slowly creep it's way toward 240 degrees. I stuck to chocolate chip cookies.

Now, as an adult I still rarely want to use a candy thermometer. I still have the aversion but I thought it was going to be a necessity to make marshmallows.

Most would say a thermometer is a necessity to make dreamy, creamy, homemade marshmallows. I must have checked over 30 recipes doing my research for this project. I daresay it's the most researched recipe I've ever done. I wanted to do this right but in regular Zola fashion I wanted to make this easy.

Side note: I promise, that at the end of this you are going to find an easy recipe for marshmallows. Don't let anything I say in the next few paragraphs scare you off. I just know many of you love to hear the trials and tribulations of Zola, so I thought I'd tell you what building this recipe was like.

Back to the story. As I was doing my research my goal was to look for similarities in recipes (like the thermometer) because if every confectionary cooker used a thermometer, then it was likely that I'd have to too.

A thermometer was the first thing that went on my list.

Then I looked for techniques. I've never imagined there could be so many ways to make simple, white marshmallow. Just trust me. There are a myriad of ways and a selection of different ingredients that can make you dizzy trying to figure out what you want to put in marshmallows. Who would have thought that orange essence oil would be in a marshmallow. Several recipes called for that ingredient. I immediately rejected it as something too hard for many cooks to find, so I scratched it off my list.

When I finally decided on my techniques and my ingredients I went about multiplying so I could figure out what I needed to make 1900 marshmallows. By any homemade standards that's a lot of marshmallows!

First trip I only bought half of what I needed. I thought that if my postulations didn't work I'd have to go back to the drawing board. Or this experience might be excruciating for some reason and I'd have to go back to figure out Plan B. I didn't want tons of ingredients laying around if I abandoned the marshmallow mission. Who wants 14 bottles of vanilla in their cupboard? Certainly not me.

My faithful and talented assistant Amy was all excited to make marshmallows. Amy is an accomplished cook. She even gets paid for it on occasion. She was open to helping me and I was happy to have her on hand. She even lent me her large MixMaster for the job. I was getting my husband to bring me our large MixMaster from the Madison house. I knew I was going to need industrial equipment (or close) and lots of it. Now, just start visualizing two large MixMasters whirring on high at the same time. Makes your teeth kinda vibrate just thinking about it doesn't it? That would be pretty much on target!

We gathered all the glass 9 X 13 pans we could find. Then we started out making a single batch just to see what would happen. It was not pretty. We watched that thermometer creep up to 240 degrees and then did our pouring. Then we let the mixer run 12 minutes. The recipes I had consulted said 12 - 15 for the majority. When I went to get it out of the mixer and into the pan it was practically glue! Set glue! I couldn't even coax it out of the bowl and when I went to put it in the glass pan it tried to get back out. Between the laughter and trying to pry the spatula from the mass my heart was sinking. Houston, we have a problem....

On the second batch I cooked the candy mixture a bit less and ran the mixer a little shorter period of time. I decided as I looked into the bowl that if the mixture started to form spider webs we were past marshmallow and closer to taffy! The second batch was much better!

We made a few more batches and called it a night.

On day two, the same darn thing happened to the first batch of the day. Now I was stumped. Amy speculated that it could have been the temperature of the bowl. Maybe we had to get things heated up by running this mixer. I went with that. I didn't have any better ideas. So if you decide to make the marshmallows you can factor that in but no guarantees. I've since had the first batch work just fine. It was all part of my mastering my own techniques (which are all incorporated into the recipe).

I've since made mistakes like putting in too much vanilla which gives you yummy beige marshmallows. They taste great but if you want to put in extra vanilla might I recommend clear vanilla.

We've cut them too soon and had a gooey challenge. Don't be in a hurry when making marshmallows.

Okay, this is enough! I'm getting frustrated just trying to type the story. I guess I'm not good at the stamina required to dredge up my nightmares. Let's focus on the positive!

Believe me when I tell you that making your own marshmallows is worth it. They are the dreamiest, creamiest confection you can ask for. Swirl one on your tongue and it will melt into your mouth like no marshmallow you've ever had. Beats those puffs hands down!

Happy Holidays from "Marshmallow Central"

Homemade Marshmallows
Makes approximately 90 half inch marshmallows or 40 big ones

3 packets of unflavored gelatin
1-1/2 cups of granulated sugar
1 cup of light corn syrup
1 cup of water divided
1/4 tsp of salt
1 Tbl of pure vanilla
Confectioners sugar for dusting

Combine the gelatin and one half cup of water in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. (I recommend you use a large standing mixer for this project if you have one. The mixer will have to run a relatively long time. I'd hate to see someone overheat a small mixer). Let this combination sit while you make your sugar syrup.

In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and one half cup of water. Heat on medium high and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the sugar begins to dissolve (it will become clearer). This takes just a minute or so. Attach your candy thermometer if you are using one. Then raise the heat to high and let this mixture bubble (boil but not boil over) until it reaches a temperature of 240 degrees or six minutes (whichever comes sooner). Make sure the thermometer is NOT touching the bottom of the pan or you'll get a false reading. I have taken the mixture off at six minutes and it was only 220 degrees. That's just fine. The time is more important than the temp.

With the mixer on low speed, carefully pour the hot syrup into the mixer on top of the gelatin mixture. Turn the mixer up to high and whip the mixture for 10 minutes; until it is very thick (it will almost fill the bowl so don't try two batches at once). It will be light and fluffy. If you see it starting to get gooey (look for spider web-looking stretched bits at the sides) turn off the mixer immediately. If you time it for 10 minutes you should be right on target. In the last two minutes of mixing momentarily turn the mixer down to low and drizzle in your vanilla. Then turn it back up to high for the rest of the 10 minute duration.

While the mixer is running, generously dust the bottom of a clean, dry 9 X 13 glass baking pan with powdered sugar.

When the mixer is finished, immediately pour the fluffy batter into the baking pan, on top of the powdered sugar. Spread with a spatula to flatten it and get it into the corners. (If this process is difficult it means your marshmallows spent too much time in the mixer and you are going to have chewy results. If it's smooth as a cloud and spreads easily you are doing an excellent job).

Now generously dust the top of the mixture with more powdered sugar until completely covered and let the pan sit on your counter for 7 hours or over night.

With a large spatula work the edges of the marshmallow away from the pan sides. Then carefully slide the spatula under the cooled marshmallow mixture to lift it from the pan. You will likely need to work it a bit from all four sides. The marshmallow will turn out in one large sheet onto your cutting board. Dust the top with powdered sugar to soak up any sticky bits.

Now you can cut your marshmallows. Use a large chef knife and just press down across the marshmallow. If you are making small marshmallows your band of marshmallow will be about one half inch wide and the width of the pan. It will look like a long cigar of marshmallow when you cut it.

Dust the cut edges with powdered sugar to make them easy to handle. You can just smooth your finger across the edges. Then cut crosswise to make your square marshmallows. On a large plate roll the marshmallows around (gently) in more powdered sugar to coat the edges that you just cut. Store the marshmallows in a dry place (plastic zip bags will do fine).

I recommend you eat the marshmallows within 5 days. They will stay beautifully soft during this time. These are homemade marshmallows so don't think they will last indefinitely like the puffs you buy in the store.

Eat them plain (they get rave reviews) or float them in your hot cocoa. I also hear they are great in coffee!

Enjoy!
Cheers,
Zola

Send email to Zola at dinnerwithzola@hotmail.com.