Homemade Marshmallows for Smores

I definitely didn’t recreate the wheel when it came time to learn how to make Homemade Marshmallows for Smores, rather I looked to David Lebovitz, for a recipe, and it turned out that he went with a know entity as well, so my citation should also note that The Great Book of Chocolate was his original source. That said, I’m glad I started with David Lebovitz’ recipe, because it came out perfectly on the very first try. I was thrilled with both the vanilla and almond Homemade Marshmallows for Smores that I made, but going forward, I liked the almond so much that I’ll always make them with the hint of almond extract. One fun part of making Homemade Marshmallows for Smores is that you can control the texture of the marshmallows a little bit. Mine were soft and pillowy and light as clouds, but if you like them more firm, then a slightly hotter syrup will yield those results. Aside from the awesome marshmallows, of course, my friend Susan is way too smart to only buy standard hershey’s chocolate bars and instead bought the mini hershey’s candy assortment bag, so we had twix, snickers, peanut butter cups, milky ways, and of course plain hershey’s. Everyone picked their favorite candy and it made the Homemade Marshmallows for Smores all the better for the world’s best S’mores. And in case you’re feeling intimidated by the fact that this recipe requires a candy thermometer, let me assuage your fears right now. These Homemade Marshmallows for Smores were truly easy to make and lots of fun. That said, if you aren’t up for Homemade Marshmallows for Smores, stopping by the store before your Midsommar’s Party won’t bother anyone’s enjoyment one bit.

2 envelopes (17g) powdered gelatin
½ cup + ⅓ cup cold water
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup light corn syrup
4 large egg whites (½ cup) at room temperature
pinch sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract [or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 teaspoon+ almond extract]

Marshmallow Mix:
1 cup corn starch
1 cup powdered sugar

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the ½ cup cold water to dissolve and soften. In a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, mix the sugar and corn syrup with ⅓ cup of water. Place over medium-to-high heat.* While you’re waiting for it to come to temperature, dust a baking sheet (lined with a silpat or parchment paper makes this a cinch) evenly and completely with a generous layer of the marshmallow mixture. (I use a sifter to do this.) Make sure there are absolutely no bare spots and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, pour in the egg whites and beat on low speed until frothy. Add the pinch of salt. When the syrup reaches about 210ºF, turn mixer to high and beat the whites until they are thick and fluffy. When the syrup reaches 245ºF, keep mixer on high speed and slowly pour the hot syrup into the whites (avoid hitting the whisk to avoid spattering!) Scrape the gelatin and water into the pan that you used for the syrup. Pour the liquified gelatin slowly into the whites as they are whipping. Add the flavoring of your choice and continue to whip for 5 minutes, until the mixture is completely cool when you touch the outside of the bowl. Use a spatula to spread the marshmallows in a layer on the pan. Allow to dry for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, uncovered. Put about 1 cup of the marshmallow mixture into a large bowl. Dust the top of the marshmallows with some of the marshmallow mixture. Use a pizza cutter or scissors (dusted as well with the marshmallow mixture) to cut the marshmallows into squares slightly smaller than graham crackers. Toss the marshmallows in the marshmallow mixture. Shake the marshmallows vigorously in a wire strainer to remove the excess powder. Now you’re ready to roast them and make them into your perfect S’mores. I cut the scraps into small squares and dust them well with marshmallow mix before I store them as mini-marshmallows for Hot Chocolate. 

*You can reuse this pan for the gelatin! Yay for fewer dishes.

Storage: The marshmallows can be made up to one week in advance, and stored in an airtight container. I even made mine in Philly and then brought them with me to Wisconsin for the event.