It seems every searchable base recipe for homemade, naturally sweetened marshmallows leads back to Jenni Hulet’s iconic recipe. It works beautifully, is featured on her blog, The Urban Poser, and serves as a base from which I worked to develop this Vanilla Bean Espresso Marshmallows recipe.
Ingredients
- COATING
- 1 tablespoon maple sugar
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour, or cornstarch if you prefer
- 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
- MARSHMALLOWS
- 1 cup water, room temperature, divided
- 3 tablespoons beef gelatin
- 1 cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
Line an 8 x 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper, overlapping the sides (for more, smaller marshmallows, use a 9 x 9-inch pan).
Mix together the coating ingredients and dust pan generously with a tablespoon of the mixture.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, gently stir together ½ cup water and beef gelatin; allow to sit during the next steps.
In a medium saucepan, combine maple syrup, vanilla bean and espresso powders, salt and remaining ½ cup water. Use a candy thermometer to watch temperature.
Over medium-high heat, bring to a rolling boil and reduce to keep from boiling over, watching carefully till mixture is at 240° F. This is the “soft ball” stage on a candy thermometer. Remove the pan and set aside.
Turn mixer to low and gradually increase to medium, mixing together softened gelatin and water.
Slowly drizzle hot sugar mixture from saucepan into gelatin mixture.
Once all of the sugar mixture is in the bowl, gradually increase speed to high and continue for 8 to 10 minutes, or until mixture is double in volume, bright white, thick and creamy.
Using a spatula, scoop marshmallow mixture into prepared pan. Sift 1 tablespoon additional coating mixture on top of marshmallows and set aside, lightly covered with parchment, to cool for 2 hours.
Once marshmallows have set, use the parchment lining the pan to remove marshmallows.
Using a sharp knife, cut into large squares and coat each in remaining coating mixture. Serve alone or floating in coffee or hot cocoa.
Inspired by Jenni Hulet of The Urban Poser
Recipe and photo by Angela Sackett, a photographer at Legacy Seven Studios and writer at saletlux.com and dancingwithmyfather.net, where she shares recipes and hospitality tips.
