If you are following God’s dietary instructions, as many of us are, then you have most likely learned by now that anything commercially prepared which contains gelatin is off limits – so no jello, no to some brands of yogurt (check your labels!), no knox unflavored gelatin, and saddest of all, no marshmallows! But, I found a source for kosher unflavored gelatin.
Steffie took on the next part of the challenge – discovering how to make your own marshmallows at home! She tried to use vegan gelatin, but to no avail – the marshmallows don’t set up unless you use animal source gelatin. Once she procured some kosher unflavored gelatin, she made the following recipe with no trouble and the marshmallows turned out beautifully! This wonderful marshmallow recipe is from Smitten Kitchen:
1 c powdered sugar
2 T + 2-1/2 tsp kosher unflavored gelatin
1 c cold water, divided
2 c sugar
1/2 c light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1 T vanilla
Oil bottom and sides of a 13×9- inch pan and dust bottom and sides with some powdered sugar. In a large bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 c cold water, and let stand to soften.
In a 3-quart heavy saucepan, cook sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 c cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
Beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about 6-10 minutes. In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters, beat egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined.
Pour mixture into prepared pan and don’t worry about scraping the bowl to get every last drop. It will be too sticky to scrape down, so no need to do that. Sift 1/4 c powdered sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.
Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into one-inch cubes. (An oiled pizza cutter works well.) Sift remaining confectioners’ sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.
Makes about 96 1-inch cubed marshmallows. Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 week.
After Steffie made these, she assured us that chilled marshmallows dipped in melted bittersweet chocolate, then set aside to let dry, are to die for! The undipped marshmallows can be stirred into hot chocolate; cut up and added to fudge or dark chocolate ice cream with nuts for rocky road; made into marshmallow treats; and toasted over a slow fire for s’mores!
