Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows - Impress Your Friends

This past Christmas I entertained the idea of making candy as my homemade gift of choice (I made a mini cupcake trio instead). As part of my candy-making research, I looked up how to make homemade marshmallows and it looked incredibly easy! I finally got around to making them for Easter instead!

My first plan was chocolate covered marshmallow bunnies, an Easter classic, which I wound up using to top my white velvet vanilla bean and lavender cream cupcakes.



I used a special Wilton mold to make them, and used the rest of the marshmallow spread into an 8 x 8 brownie pan to make chocolate dipped vanilla marshmallows!




Before I go ahead and share the recipe, I need to warn you that I made a complete mess out of my stove top making these. The pan was too small and the marshmallow totally boiled over and made a burnt mess all over my stove top. So sad, we're still fighting it with the special stove top cleaner and scrubber. Please don't make my mistake!

Also, you'll see especially on the bunny marshmallows that the chocolate looks sort of speckled. I asked a friend who often makes molded chocolates about this and she thinks maybe my problem was that the confectioners sugar/cornstarch used to coat the marshmallows probably fell off the mixed with the chocolate which caused this. If this happens to you, a good solution would probably be to melt a fresh batch of chips after the first chocolate layer has hardened, and dip them again!

Vanilla Chocolate Covered Marshmallows
Adapted from Alton Brown on Food Network

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Nonstick spray
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 - 4 tablespoons Crisco

1. Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Give it a quick stir to moisten. Attach whisk attachment.
2. In a medium saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt and stir to combine.
   
3. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
   
4. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
   
5. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.
6. Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture.
   
7. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high.
   
8. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes.
   
9. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare your pans/molds

Prepare your pans/molds!

1. Combine the confectioners sugar and corn starch and whisk well to combine.
2. Lightly spray the molds or pan with cooking spray and powder all sides with the confectioners sugar mixture
3. For the molds, I filled a pastry bag with the freshly whipped marshmallow and piped it into the bunny shapes!
4. For the pan, lightly spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray and smooth the marshmallow into the pan.
5. Dust the exposed sides with the remaining confectioner sugar mixture. If you're using a pan, you can set some aside for when you cut them apart.
6. Let the marshmallows sit uncovered for at least 4 hours, and up to 24 hours.

For chocolate covered molded marshmallows

1. Gently remove the marshmallows from their molds.
   
2. Over a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips on low.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
4. If your chocolate is thin enough for dipping you an skip this step. If it would be easier to dip if the chocolate was thinner, slowly add the Crisco one tablespoon at a time, stirring well and allowing each to melt. Test the consistency of the chocolate between additions.
5. Quickly dip and roll the marshmallows in the chocolate with a fork. Lift the marshmallow out using the fork and tap on the side of the pot to let some of the excess chocolate drip off. Scrape the bottom against the side of the pan and place on parchment paper. Try and do this pretty quickly, since the marshmallow will start to melt in the hot chocolate!
6. Place the tray in the fridge for only about 5 minutes or so until chocolate is set.
7. NOTE: If your chocolate does not dry shiny and looks a little speckled like mine, melt a fresh batch of chocolate and give them another coat.
   

For chocolate dipped marshmallows

1. Turn the marshmallows out of a pan and use a pizza cutter lightly dusted in the confectioners sugar/cornstarch mixture to cut the marshmallows apart
2. Dust each exposed side in the confectioners sugar mixture.
3. Over a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips on low.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
5. If your chocolate is thin enough for dipping (which will depend on the chocolate you use) you an skip this step. If it would be easier to dip if the chocolate was thinner, slowly add the Crisco one tablespoon at a time, stirring well and allowing each to melt. Test the consistency of the chocolate between additions.
6. Dip the top of each marshmallow into the chocolate and set on a parchment (chocolate side up)
7. Decorate as you like!
8. Place the tray in the fridge for only about 5 minutes or so until chocolate is set.