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Gingerbread marshmallows

Lightly spiced homemade gingerbread marshmallows - add the taste of Christmas to hot chocolate!
Now, marshmallow making is a messy business, there's no denying it! So pay close attention to these instructions before you start.
Tip: stay organised because a lot happens at the same time.
This is the recipe for cooks with limited equipment - if you don't have a sugar thermometer or stand mixer, don't worry, this is the recipe for you. The alternative to a sugar thermometer is a bowl of cold water into which you drip a little sugar syrup to check for a firm yet pliable consistency - quite literally the firm-ball stage.
If you have both a stand mixer and electric beaters, you'll need to use both. If you have only electric beaters, it will be a bit more of a juggle but it can be done, I promise you!
For more detailed instructions on sugar temperatures, check out The Flavor Bender's amazing blog post.
Store in an airtight container between layers of greaseproof paper. They will become sticky, so dredge in more icing sugar and cornflour before serving.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Resting Time6 hours
Course: Drinks, Side Dish, Snack, sweet
Cuisine: American
Keyword: egg white, gelatin, gingerbread, marshmallows, spices
Servings: 25 marshmallows
Author: Adapted from The Flavor Bender's recipe

Ingredients

  • 260 g white sugar
  • 50 ml liquid glucose
  • 75 ml cold water
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 egg whites optional
  • Butter or solid oil like coconut oil for greasing

For the gelatin

  • 75 ml cold water
  • 15 g powdered gelatin

For the dusting

  • 80 g icing sugar
  • 20 g cornflour
  • A sprinkle of ground cinnamon

For the gingerbread flavouring

  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 3 tsp golden syrup
  • 1 tsp liquid glucose
  • 10 ml water

Instructions

  • Before you start make sure you have all your equipment: 2 clean saucepans with a lid, 2 large mixing bowls, electric beaters, a spatula, and butter for greasing your utensils!
    Grease a 20 x 20 cm baking dish with butter or line with baking parchment.

The gingerbread flavouring

  • In a small saucepan, combine all the flavouring ingredients and set over medium heat. Stir to combine and cook until the spices are fragrant, the syrup has melted and everything is homogenous. Pour into a bowl or ramekin and set aside.

The marshmallows

  • Place the sugar, liquid glucose and water in a saucepan, set over medium heat and stir to wet the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring as it comes to the boil.
    Too much stirring or splashing can result in crystallised sugar.
  • Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave the sugar syrup to cook for 2 minutes for the steam to dissolve any excess sugar crystals attached to the sides of the pan. If there are still some sugar crystals, return the lid to the pan for another minute, or brush the sugar crystals away with a wet pastry brush. Just one crystal can crystallise all of the syrup!
  • While the syrup is cooking, combine the gelatin powder and cold water in a large mixing bowl, stir to combine and set aside for 10 minutes for the gelatin to bloom (set).
  • Optional - if you'd like to add egg whites to your marshmallows to make them light and fluffier, whisk them to stiff peaks now and set aside. If you have a stand mixer, you can whisk them at the same time you whisk the gelatine in step 6 (unfortunately I don't so there is some juggling!)
  • Set a bowl of cold water next to your pan of sugar syrup. Dip your spatula into the hot syrup then drip the syrup into the water. If the blob of syrup is firm yet pliable, it's ready.
    Too soft: If it's still liquid or really soft, squidgy and can be completely flattened it needs longer.
    Too hard: If it forms little sugar marbles, it's gone too far (you can recover it by adding a little warm water to the syrup and reboiling).
  • Remove the sugar syrup from the heat. Whisk the set gelatin with electric beaters and gradually pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl (this cools it and stops the gelatin from melting). Pour it in slowly and the mixture will gradually become thick, creamy and white. Once all the syrup has been added, keep whisking and it will continue to grow in volume and become glossy and smooth. Don't whisk if the mixture is cold as it will become much harder to handle!
  • Grease a spatula with butter or coconut oil.
  • Fold in the salt, vanilla, egg whites and gingerbread flavouring. (If the marshmallow mixture feels stiff and firm, quickly use the electric beaters until it's smooth.)
  • Pour it all into the greased dish, sprinkle in a little icing sugar, cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for at least 6 hours.
  • In a bowl, combine the dusting ingredients of icing sugar, cornflour and the sprinkle of cinnamon.
  • Slice the marshmallows into cubes and turn them out onto a plate or board covered in the marshmallow dusting.