Valentines Marshmallows

Active time: 35 minutes | Setting time: 4-6 hours | Yield: 1 8x8 pan of marshmallows (depends on size of cookie cutter)

I've been working on perfecting my marshmallow recipe and I am super confident with what I have come up with here. These are perfect really for any holiday since the marshmallows are so easy to cut out with a cookie cutter and it creates such a fancy looking dessert that is sure to impress!

Keep in mind, it's important to measure your gelatin out in grams or teaspoons. I have discovered that different gelatin companies don't use a precise amount of gelatin in each packet, and learned this the hard way. On one of my first marshmallow attempts, the marshmallows ended up literally tasting like gelatin...yuck!

Baking Tools:

• Electric Mixer with whisk attachment

• Candy thermometer

• Heart-shaped cookie cutter, optional

• Red food coloring, optional

Ingredients:

• 400g (2 cup) granulated sugar

• 85g (4 tbsp / ¼ cup) corn syrup

• ½ cup water (for caramel)

• ½ cup water (for gelatin)

• 21g (7 tsp / 3 packets) powdered gelatin

• Pinch salt

• 1 tbsp tsp vanilla bean paste

• Red food coloring, optional

• Powdered sugar for coating

Directions:

1. Place the sugar, corn syrup, and ½ cup water in a medium pot. Whisk until the sugar is moistened and mixed with the water.

2. Place over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally until the sugar reaches a boil (about 5-7 minutes). Gently whisk for a few seconds, then cover the saucepan with a lid and decrease heat to medium. Keep the cover on the pan and let cook for 2 minutes without removing the lid.

3. After 2 minutes, remove the lid and check to make sure there are no sugar crystals on the sides of the saucepan. If there are crystals, cover the saucepan for another minute, allowing the steam in the pan to moisten the sugar crystals back into the syrup.

4. Clip a sugar thermometer to the side of the saucepan and cook, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 245°F (just above soft ball on the candy thermometer).

5. While your sugar is cooking, prepare your gelatin (but remember, don’t take your eyes off the sugar thermometer for too long). Place the other ½ cup water in the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Add the gelatin and briefly whisk to incorporate the gelatin, then set aside for at least 10 minutes for the gelatin to activate.

6. Once the sugar reaches 245°F, remove it from the heat and let sit for about 1-2 minutes, until the caramel stops actively bubbling.

7. Start whisking the gelatin mixture on medium-low speed and slowly pour the sugar syrup into the gelatin, pouring it onto the wall of the bowl, rather than directly into the gelatin.

8. Add salt and increase speed to medium-high. Continue to mix for 6-10 minutes, until the marshmallow mixture has increased about 3 times in size and starts to pull away from the sides of your bowl. About halfway through (after about 4 minutes), add vanilla bean paste, and food coloring, if using.

9. While the marshmallow is whisking, spray an 8x8 pan and a spatula with canola oil spray (or rub with butter).

10. Use the oiled spatula to scrape the marshmallow into your oiled 8x8 pan. It will be very sticky and difficult to get all of it, so get as much as you can. Use the oiled spatula to spread the marshmallow out in an even layer in the pan.

11. Cover the 8x8 pan with tin foil and let sit at room temperature to set for 4-6 hours.

12. Once set, use your hands to separate the marshmallow from the pan and turn out onto a work surface dusted with powdered sugar. Use an oiled heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut hearts out of the marshmallow and coat the sticky surfaces in powdered sugar to keep the marshmallows from sticking to each other.

13. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Notes:

• If desired, you can dip the marshmallows wholly or partially in chocolate and add cute festive sprinkles.

• You do need an electric mixer for this recipe, as you need to whisk the mixture on a fairly high speed for an extended period of time.