A Marshmallow World

These vanilla bean marshmallows are the perfect addition to hot chocolate. Perfect for a warm and toasty après ski treat, or for a cozy viewing of the Winter Olympics! They’re delicious all on their own as well!

Yield: 40

Author: don't eat THE PLATE (www.donteattheplate.com)

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Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

These sweet little clouds melt on your mouth and are the perfect addition to a warm cup of hot chocolate.

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Ingredients

EQUIPMENT

• candy thermometer
• medium saucepan
• stand mixer with whisk attachment
• 9x13 glass or ceramic pan (not metal)
• parchment paper
• cooking spray

• 1/3 cup (40 g) confectioner's cugar
• 3 Tbsp (24 g) cornstarch
• 1 cup (240 mL) cold water, divided
• 2 or 3 packets of unflavored gelatin (1/4 oz each)
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (325 g) light corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or you can substitute 2 more tsp of vanilla extract, for a total of 3 tsp vanilla extract)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners sugar and cornstarch. Spray the bottom and sides of the 9x13 dish generously with cooking spray. Sprinkle the bottom and sides of the dish with the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture (I like to use a handheld sifter or fine mesh sieve for this to help coat it evenly). Set aside the remainder of the mixture to be used later.
2. Pour 1/2 cup of the cold water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the gelatin and gently stir. Set aside for 5-10 minutes for the gelatin to hydrate (or "bloom"). You can either use 2 or 3 gelatin packets here. Personally, I like to use 2.5 packets of gelatin. In my opinion, 2 packets makes the marshmallows too sweet and 3 packets make the marshmallows have too much of the gelatin flavor.
3. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of water into the saucepan. Add the granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Stir over MEDIUM heat until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture comes to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, place the candy thermometer in the pan. Continue boiling without stirring until the mixture reaches 240° F (6-8 minutes). Remove mixture from heat and wait a minute until it's no longer bubbling.
4. Using the whisk attachment, turn the stand mixer on to LOW with the bowl that has the bloomed gelatin in it. Slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the bowl, taking care to drizzle the sugar mixture down the side of the bowl rather than pouring it directly into the whisk (to avoid molten sugar lava being thrown around your kitchen).
5. Gradually increase the mixer speed to HIGH. Beat the mixture for 8-12 minutes until it is very thick and shiny and at least tripled in volume. Add the vanilla extract and vanilla paste, beating just until combined.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and allow to sit uncovered for at least 6 hours (up to 48 hours...the longer you let the mixture sit, the easier it will be to cut the marshmallows).
7. To cut the marshmallows, place the parchment paper on the counter and dust with the confectioners sugar and cornstarch mixture. Remove the slab of marshmallow from the pan and place it on the dusted parchment paper. Dust the bottom and sides of the slab with the sugar cornstarch mixture. Using a very sharp knife, cut the marshmallows into squares or rectangles. Dust all the sides of the marshmallows with the sugar and cornstarch mixture (I like to do this several at a time in a bowl of the mixture). If you want to use the marshmallows for s'mores (I highly recommend because they're delicious and they roast more evenly) you can cut them in the shape of a graham cracker.
8. Store the marshmallows in an airtight container for up to 2 months.