Monday 16 July 2012

Homemade Golden Syrup Marshmallows




One of the sweets I used to love as a child, and a love that has stayed with me, are marshmallows. I remember being excited when mum would occasionally buy a bag of Princes pink and white marshmallows. I loved the soft gooey texture and the instant hit of sweetness. And then there were Flumps – the little cylindrical mallows, also very nice, but a slightly drier crust I remember. And now there are so many different varieties to choose from where is a boi to begin?

And for years I have been trying to come up with the perfect homemade marshmallow, after I discovered you could make them at home. I found a recipe by Martha Stewart that incorporated egg whites and I made these several times, although I was never truly happy with them – they never lasted very long and were too wet. Also the vast majority of recipes call for corn syrup which is not easy to get hold of in the UK. But I recently read that golden syrup makes a good sub for corn syrup in recipes and so I got to thinking. That unique syrup flavour combined with the soft marshmallow texture sounded like heaven! I experimented (with inspiration from www.chow.com) and it worked beautifully.

Warning! Unless you have the arms of Popeye, the stamina of a marathon runner or an electric mixer this recipe isn’t for you sorry!

Now to make the marshmallows, dig out your best sugar thermometer and your mixer and set to!

Yield – as many as you like – big or small!

Ingredients:
Drizzle of Veg Oil (on Paper Towel)
One sachet of unflavoured powder gelatine (about 4 teaspoons)
180 ml cold water
180 grams granulated sugar
120 ml golden syrup
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dusting
60grams Icing Sugar
50 grams Cornflour

Method:
Oil an 8”x8” baking tin using the paper towel and set aside.
In a cup, mix 120 ml of the water with the gelatine and set aside to soften. Meanwhile in a saucepan mix the sugar, 60ml of the syrup, salt and remaining 60 ml water together. Clip on the thermometer and whilst stirring bring it to the boil until it reaches 115 oC. Remove from the heat. Now place the cup of gelatine and water in the microwave for 30 seconds. Next put the gelatine in the bowl of an electric mixer with the remaining syrup and with the whisk attachment in place mix on slow. Take the hot sugar mixture and very carefully and slowly dribble this into the mixer with it still turned on. Continue to whisk on medium speed for 5 minutes. 





Then increase the speed to medium high for another 5 minutes, add the vanilla and crank up the speed to high for 3 more minutes. The mixture will have, in this time, gone from clear golden liquid to molten marshmallowy goodness.

Next pour the mallow mix into the baking tin and using a spatula smooth until level. Now dust very liberally with about a quarter of the dusting mix. Leave this to set overnight! 

Next day, invert the pan onto a cutting mat and ease out the mallow. It shouldn’t need too much persuasion! Liberally dust the top with another quarter of the dusting mix. It is now up to you how you chop them up. With a knife, just tear at it if you can’t wait(!!) or I used a cookie cutter. Always coat all cut edges in the dusting mix.





These apparently last for a few weeks in an airtight container – but c’mon! Seriously!? They taste so good, like marshmallows with a wee hint of caramel from the syrup and they feel like proper mallows too. Delicious – what more is to be said other than – Enjoy…


18 comments:

  1. These sound absolutely fantastic! I've always wanted to make my own marshmallows and fortunately I do have a mixer! Am happily following your blog too.

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    1. Thank you for following! They are so easy to make - I quite surprised myself!!

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  2. I love marshmallows! I can't wait to pull out my electric mixer and make some homemade goodness! Thanks for sharing this (ps, I love the cutter that you used - I adore the scalloped edges!)

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    1. Thanks Stephanie - the cutters really make a difference. It would be good to experiment with different shapes. More mallow ideas to come along so keep posted :)

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  3. I love this idea! I'm yet to make my own marshmallows but I think this recipe could definitely persuade me - delicious.

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    1. So easy - and very easy to pimp! I intend to flavour, colour, sprinkle in future - keep posted ;)

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  4. I recently made my own marshmallows and was so impressed by how easy it is! I used golden syrup as well as I couldn't find corn syrup.. well not at a reasonable price anyway. PS I have a giveaway for marhsmallow madness on my blog currently if you are interested - lots of lovely marshmallow recipes.

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    1. Thanks addict - I'll check for the giveaway!!

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  5. Hi, I've seen your recipe and had to run into the kitchen to make it.
    My children loves marshmallow - and parents, too!
    I have once bought a Banoffee syrup (Lyle's squeezy Syrup - free from artifical flavours, artificial colors and preservatives) and I am going to use this instead of the golden syrup.
    I hope in success and the "extra banana flavour"...
    Please, wish me luck
    All the best and THANK YOU FOR SHARING!
    Ps: if positive, the result will be posted on my blog by the end of the week.

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    1. What a great idea to use flavoured syrup - I'm sure they will be delicious!

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  6. Hi, I've made them and now they're resting in the frige. The cutting and taste testing is for tomorrow.
    Your step by step instructions were great and it was so easy to make marshmallow: who'd have told!
    Thank you again

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    1. My pleasure - please let me know how they turn out :)

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    2. Hi, unfortunately I must have made something not 100% correct:
      the cut out marshmallow cubes stayed in shape but it was "too melty" in my mouth and not at all "a little bit chewy or dense" like the originals (PS: I never had homemade marshmallow before, so I do not know if it has a different texture than the original).
      I think I may have used too little gelatine powder. One package in Switzerland has more than 4 teaspoons (18 grams). Would it be possible to know by weight, how much your package weight?
      I have beaten it, instead of 3 min (the last beating) 12 minutes as it wasn't "hard" enough (PS: the sugar reached 115°C - I used the termometer).
      Any idea what I could have made wrong?
      Otherwise the taste with banoffee was great!
      Thank you so much for your precious help and all the best
      Ckay

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    3. I think your mistake might have been leaving it in the fridge to set. You really need to leave it out to 'dry' in the air. Also, you may have over-whipped it by doing it that long. They are soft mallows, but the longer they are left the firmer they would get. The package of gelatine I used weighed about 10 grams which gave me the 4 teaspoons.

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    4. Thank you so much for answering.
      I'll try again (when it's less hot!) and let them out to set.
      I've really appreciate your kindness.
      Thank you

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  7. Hi, Wondered if you had tried it vith veggie gelatine? :)
    E

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    1. I've never used veggie gelatine before - are it's properties the same? If you try the recipe with it let me know how it turns out please :)

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