Cookies and bars
Gingerbread marshmallows
Homemade gingerbread marshmallows are a revelation – wonderfully soft, fluffy and delicious, they make the perfect festive edible gift. You
- Serves 30 -40
- Prep 15 minutes
- Total 15 minutes
You will also love my Gingerbread Cookies
Homemade marshmallows are having a bit of a moment it seems to me. I recently designed a book – an entire book – on marshmallows, so naturally I had to try my hand at making some. I discovered a few things along the way…
1. Marshmallows are… STICKY. Incredibly gluey, bubblegum-like and liable to adhere to everything… the whisk, the spatulas, entire kitchen, you hair…
2. Marshmallows are… MESSY. See above. The first recipe I made was a triple layered chocolate concoction from aforementioned book. The recipe used every single bowl, spatula, tray… almost entire contents of kitchen.
3. Marshmallows are… a REVELATION. Homemade marshmallows that is. They are pillowy soft, tenderly sweet and completely addictive. I brought some to work and people could not stop raving about them and coming back for more.
Since making my first batch I have gone on to make marshmallows again and again – they really are fun to make and you can experiment with the flavours and coatings endlessly.
I am sharing my own recipe for gingerbread marshmallows – ’tis the season after all – and have a feeling there will be more marshmallow recipes in future!
Gingerbread Lovers will adore these recipes!
Have You Made My Gingerbread Marshmallows?
Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #Nusde. I can’t wait to see your take on it!
Recipe
Gingerbread marshmallows
Homemade gingerbread marshmallows are a revelation – wonderfully soft, fluffy and delicious, they make the perfect festive edible gift.
- Serves 30 -40
- Prep 15 minutes
- Total 15 minutes
Ingredients
- Gingerbread marshmallows
- 2 packets powdered gelatine (about 3 tbsp)
- ½ cup (120ml) cold water
- 2 ¼ cups (440g) superfine sugar ((= caster sugar))
- ¼ cup (80g) golden syrup
- ¼ cup (80g) light corn syrup (or liquid glucose)
- 1 tbsp treacle or molasses (optional)
- ¾ cup (200ml) water
- 1-2 tbsp dark rum (optional)
- __________
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon (use ground Cassia if you can find it - more aromatic)
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- Zest of half an orange (optional)
- 2 oz (60g) Green & Blacks Maya Gold chocolate (finely grated)
- 5 tbsp icing sugar (2 tbsp cornflour, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, sifted for coating)
- __________
- You will need
- Sugar thermometer
- Slightly deep tray or square cake pan (aprox. 30x20x5cm (12x8x2 in) oiled and lined with baking paper)
- Silicone spatula - wiped with oil
- Cookie cutters (optional)
Method
- 1
Oil your pan or cake tin. Line with baking paper and oil again. Oil a silicone spatula.
- 2
Put the cold water in the bowl of your stand mixer and sprinkle the gelatine on top. Let it swell or 'bloom'.
- 3
Put the remaining water, sugar, corn syrup, golden syrup, treacle and rum in a medium deep saucepan. Clip on a sugar thermometer and bring to the boil. Keep boiling until it reaches 120C | 248F (firm ball stage).
- 4
Meanwhile add the spices to the gelatine and whisk together at high speed.
- 5
When sugar reaches the right temperature slowly add it to the gelatine - down the side of the mixing bowl - while whisking at slow speed initially and increasing to high speed once all syrup is added. Keep whisking for several minutes (can take up to 10-15 mins) until the mixture is thick, glossy and bubblegum-like.
- 6
Stir in the orange zest and grated chocolate. Spoon the marshmallow into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Dust with the coating and leave to set at room temperature for 2 hours (or longer). (I used a small amount of marshmallow spread thinly of a second tray to create the small gingerbread mallows).
- 7
Use a greased pizza wheel or a sharp knife to cut the marshmallows into cubes. Or use greased cookie cutters to create shapes. Toss them in the coating so that they are covered all over (otherwise they will dry out). Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Notes
If you can't find golden syrup you can use all light corn syrup or liquid glucose (160g or 1/2 cup). Do not be tempted to get heavy handed with the rum - too much and the mallows will not set.
