Sunday, March 25, 2018

Make Your Own Marshmallows!








A very warm welcome to our friend, Paige Shelton. The third book in her Scottish Bookshop Mysteries is coming out on April 3rd. We're very pleased to have her back today with a truly fun recipe.

Don't miss Paige's giveaway of LOST BOOKS AND OLD BONES!










Every now and then I’ll see a cooking show or read a recipe and think “that would be fun to make!” But when I make it, more times than not, it’s not as much fun as I thought, and I never make it again.

Until from scratch marshmallows came into my life.





These puffy pillows of sugar are trendy, with shops springing up everywhere. In places like Fluff It, Toasted Mallow, and Squish, customers can find multiple flavors, fluff, fluff mixed with cookie dough (I know, that should probably be illegal), and other treats designed all around marshmallows. I had to try to make them.

I found a few recipes online. They’re all pretty similar, but this one works well for me.

Ingredients:

3 packages unflavored gelatin

1 cup ice cold water, divided

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract – or another flavor. I like orange.

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar (or a little more if you spill like I do)

¼ cup cornstarch (or a little more; same as above reason)

Nonstick spray

A couple of necessary tools for this recipe are a stand mixer and a candy thermometer. I love my stand mixer – and have been heard muttering loving words to it – but I’m kind of a stand mixer rebel, and I like to use my hand mixer most of the time. However, I couldn’t make marshmallows without a stand mixer. Also, I used to fear candy thermometers – all those numbers! And, I broke the first two I ever bought – both of them as I was putting them away in my kitchen drawer. I thought destiny was telling me I shouldn’t make anything that required one. But I battled destiny and bought a third one – and I’ve had it for years.





Here’s what you do:

1. Place the gelatin into the bowl of the mixer along with ½ cup of the water. Remember ice cold. Not easy to achieve in Arizona. Ice most definitely has to be involved. Use the whisk attachment, but don’t turn it on yet.

2.







3. In a small saucepan combine the remaining ½ cup ice water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover, and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees – approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once it reaches temperature, immediately remove from the heat.




4. Turn the mixer on low speed and, while its running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla (or other flavor) during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping, prepare the pan.

5. Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9 metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and moved around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.




When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

6. Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the sugar/cornstarch mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture.








Of course, when they’re ready, I highly recommend roasting some for some S’mores. There is no better test for a marshmallow in a S’more or two.





Store marshmallows in airtight container for up to 3 weeks, but I doubt they’ll last that long.




Thanks to everyone at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen for inviting me to stop by today. See everyone at the bookstores.

Paige Shelton has lived lots of places over the years, but now writes and resides in sunny Arizona. For more information, check out her website: paige@paigeshelton.comand resides in sunny Arizona. For more information, check out her website: paige@paigeshelton.com






Don't forget to leave a comment with your email address to enter Paige's giveaway of 
LOST BOOKS AND OLD BONES.

34 comments:

  1. I have loved the start of this series and look forward to lots of future installments.

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  2. I never would have thought to make my own marshmallows, but your recipe does not look too complicated...hmmm. And, of course, you had to include the tempting photo of sizable s'mores. I so love those.
    little lamb lst at yahoo dot com

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  3. I can't wait to try to make these! I'm a little afraid of my candy thermometer too, but I'll give it a shot. Looking forward to April 3rd! Congratulations! konecny7(at)gmail(dot)com

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  4. Interesting recipe. We'd need to do some finagling to make a kosher version of it. I saved it to my Pinterest page so others will be able to check it out. I've enjoyed the bookstore mystery to date and would love to have this book in my personal library.

    NoraAdrienne(at) gmail (dot) com

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  5. And here I thought only Martha Stewart made her own marshmallows! I did not realize until recently that there are gourmet marshmallows in flavors floating around out there perfect for s'mores. Unfortunately I haven't found them yet.
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

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  6. Can't beat homemade marshmallows, for sure! and I'd love to read the book. EMS591@aol.com

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  7. Welcome to the blog, Paige! I discovered how easy and yummy homemade marshmallows are a few years ago, when I wrote Crime Rib and got carried away with variations on S'Mores! Congrats on the new book!

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  8. Your books are already on my "to read" list but so nice i can follow you on facebook now - i would love to win a free book - trwilliams69@msn.com

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  9. I cannot wait for the new book! ��

    Side note: I miss Hobbit and the ghost stories.

    Bottom line... Your storytelling is sublime.

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  10. I eagerly await the newest episode of your story line.
    S'mores! Heaven on earth!
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  11. If I had a stand mixer and a candy thermometer, I would be making these marshmallows! Until then, I'll just have to do with the ones from Whole Foods, which I'm sure are not as good. Thank you so much for visiting Mystery Lovers' Kitchen and sharing your recipe, which I will keep for the day I finally score a stand mixer! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net

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  12. I've never been a huge marshmallow fan, but these look yummy! Might have to try them and treat the family to S'mores.
    zukeeper.geo(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  13. Looks yummy! Love, love your books, Paige. ❤

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  14. Always looking for some thing new and different to make, especially for special treats. I like this series and look forward to reading more. dbahn(at)iw(dot)net

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  15. That S'More looks SO good!
    ksurp@att.net

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  16. I never would have thought to make marshmallows. They actually look like something I could make. Thanks for the great giveaway!
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  17. These marshmallows look delicious. I wonder if my niece and nephew would enjoy helping me make these for Easter. Thank you for the chance to win. Dmskrug at hotmail.com

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  18. Love the cover of your book and your marshmallows look yummy!! jawdance@yahoo.com

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  19. My daughter & I were looking into making our own mallows. We saw a demo for placing homemade mallows in a cup of hot choc & it opens like a flower. Or anything you'd care to make. But the making & cutting of the mallow & preparing it for your hot choc was so neat. A great treat for company, special occasions or just because. I'd been meaning to look at some recipes. Thank you so much for this. And I would love to read LOST BOOKS AND OLD BONES. Della at deepotter (at) peoplepc (dot) com

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  20. These would be fun to make when my niece comes to visit. And then of course we could have our s'mores.
    turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com

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  21. Thanks for the marshmallow recipe. Looking forward to reading LOST BOOKS AND OLD BONES.

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  22. The book looks amazing! The recipe sounds delicious. Can't wait to read it! Donamaekutska7@gmail.com

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  23. Book looks so good and so does the recipe! Thanks for the chance at the giveaway.

    Faithdcreech at gmail dot com

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  24. Thanks so much for the recipe and the giveaway! Those look yummy! aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com

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  25. Thanks for the recipe & giveaway. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  26. Cannot wait for the new release. Pre-ordered. Great recipe! kayt18 (at) comcast (dot) net

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  27. new book, new recipe, thanks! browntruck8899@yahoo.com

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  28. I can't shout loud enough from the rooftops and everywhere else how amazing this book was! I'm so excited for it to release so everyone can see what I've been saying! Also, this recipe terrifies me so just jingle when you make them next and I'll help you finish them off. ;) awilcox1182@gmail.com

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  29. Glad I stopped by today. I didn't know there was a new book in this series coming out yet. I'll have to put it on my list.

    acm05atjuno.com

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  30. I think homemade marshmallows sound great! Maybe dipped in some dark chocolate.
    Bleakney750@yahoo.com

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  31. I love the cover of your book. Its covers like those that attracts my attention to read them. Can't wait to read it.

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  32. You know, I’ve made umpteen pounds of candy and literally thousands of cookies...we won’t count cakes, pies, tarts, and tortes...but never my own marshmallows! I think it’s something I need to do as soon as I get more corn starch and a new candy thermometer! My email is LaFonRC@aol.com

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  33. These look amazing!!!! Dipped in dark chocolate then dipped in shredded coconut!!! I am getting hungry!! Lol. blessedfllady62@yahoo.com

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  34. I have heard that homemade marshmallows are far superior to those surgery puff balls in the grocery store.
    seffichinchilla@outlook.com

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