Sunday, 11 2010

kitchy weekends: marshmallows

Kitchy Weekends is turning out to be one of our reader’s favorite new column launches! To celebrate, we’ve brought on two insanely talented home bakers to create and share original recipes for Dujour that will have you happy in the kitchen (and tummy)! Warm welcome to Ayundari of Sugar Crawler!

Is it true what people say about homemade food tasting better than store bought food? The authors of Baked: New Frontiers In Baking promised cloudlike squares that melt in your mouth or in your hot chocolate marshmallows. And frankly, the authors got my heart for ‘cloudlike squares’.  Making marshmallows looked like something so complicated for me, with the all candy thermometer and sheets gelatin involved. Pheewww! That was the first time I’m using both candy thermometer and sheets gelatin, I was so afraid with the end result but after total 7 hours of waiting, I got to say that homemade food tastes better than store bought, well, in this case, homemade marshmallow.

HOMEMADE VANILLA MARSHMALLOWS
Yield: 24 marshmallows
adapted from Baked: new frontiers in baking

“if you have not eaten a homemade marshmallow, you are missing out on a rhapsodic pleasure. It is most certainly not the same marshmallow you know from the grocery store. In fact, it is like comparing  a fresh baguette to wonder bread. Our recipe produces cloudlike squares that melt in your mouth or in your hot chocolate. They are sticky, sweet, and full of vanilla flavor. Perhaps best of all, they are quite easy to make, and require few ingredients”

6 sheets gelatin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus more for dusting

Grease an 8×8-inch pan with shortening, using a paper towel to rub it lightly and evenly onto the bottom, sides and edges of the pan. Set aside.

Put the gelatin sheets into a medium microwave-safe bowl and fill it with very cold water, set aside; add a few ice cubes to keep it cold.

Place the sugar, 1/4 cup corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan and stir gently. Clip a candy thermometer onto the pan, and place it over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil, checking it occasionally–you are looking for it to eventually hit a temperature of 235-240 degrees (soft ball stage).

Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. By this point, the gelatin sheets should be very soft–drain them well and give them a quick wringing out, and place them back in the microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until the gelatin is completely melted, about 30 seconds. Turn the mixer on low, and very slowly pour the melted gelatin into the corn syrup. Keep the mixer running while you check the sugar syrup.

Once the syrup reaches 235-240 degrees, pull it from the heat. Carefully transfer the syrup to a large, heatproof measuring cup or a similar vessel with a spout for easy pouring. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and slowly pour the sugar syrup into the gelatin mixture. When all the syrup has been added, crank the speed up to medium-high and let it go for about 8 minutes–the candy will turn white and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt and increase the speed to its highest setting for 1 more minute.

Pour the marshmallow into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sift confectioners’ sugar evenly and generously over the top. Let sit for about 6 hours.

Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan and invert it onto a confectioners’ sugar-dusted work surface. Dust the marshmallow slab with more confectioner’s sugar and cut into whatever size pieces you wish (a pizza cutter works great here). Dip the sticky edges of the marshmallows in more confectioners’ sugar, patting off the excess. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.