S'mores is a classic summer dessert, and for good reason. A toasted, squishy marshmallow and slightly melted chocolate cubes are sandwiched between two crunchy graham biscuits-nothing better than this.
If you are a S'mores lover and want to raise the level of this sweet treat, please consider making your own marshmallows. For Sandra Palmer, a chef instructor at the New York City Institute of Culinary Education, homemade marshmallows are far superior to store-bought marshmallows. “Mass-produced marshmallows are chewy and have very little taste. When you make them at home, you can control the texture while experimenting with different flavors,” she told me. "The texture of homemade marshmallows is also softer than store-bought, resulting in s'mores that are more viscous."
To make your own marshmallows, you need some kitchen tools, including a stand mixer, a candy thermometer, and a heat-resistant rubber spatula. Palmer pointed out that if you have made candies before, making your own marshmallows should be a breeze.
Think of your homemade marshmallows as a blank canvas to flavor. For example, you can make fruity marshmallows by putting gelatin in juice or puree instead of water. "Over the years, at Three Tarts, we have come up with many flavors," Palmer said. "We perfected the art of double marshmallows and competed with our customers to come up with more interesting flavors to try. One of our favorites is the basil grapefruit combination, but we also made rosemary Fragrant chocolate, strawberry basil, and vanilla rose." For s'mores, consider making raspberry or cinnamon marshmallows, or even further making chocolate graham biscuits.
Palmer kindly shared her vanilla bean marshmallow recipe (below), which you can use as a starting point to make any flavour marshmallow you want. Sticking to classic vanilla is also effective. As for some basic dos and don’s, she shared the following:
If you are using gelatin sheets, add one sheet at a time to the blooming liquid. Once the gelatin has softened a bit, fold the sheets to make sure they are completely submerged in the liquid. Add the vanilla bean paste and set aside. If you use gelatin powder, carefully sprinkle it on the blooming liquid. There should be no dry spots.
Pour directly into a 3-quart pan, first add glucose syrup to coat the bottom of the pan, and then add the sugar.
Pour 1/2 cup of water on the surface of the sugar to create a "wet sand" texture. Connect the candy thermometer to the pot so that the bulb is just below the surface of the mixture. (This will prevent incorrect readings.) Place the pan on high heat when preparing the baking sheet.
Spray a 9 x 12 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray, then wipe the pan with a paper towel. This may seem strange, but it is an insurance policy: if you don't wipe the pan clean, the cornstarch layer will be uneven, and the marshmallows may stick when you try to turn it out. Use amylose, dust the pan and knock off the excess. Put the prepared pan aside.
Once the syrup is bubbling and the thermometer reads 240 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the mixture from the fire and carefully remove the thermometer. Add the gelatin that has been developed and stir with a heat-resistant spatula until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a whip attachment and beat slowly until the mixture is thick enough to avoid splashing. Increase the speed to high speed and beat until the mixture cools slightly and the marshmallows are pulled apart in sharp peaks from the sides of the bowl.
Fill a small bowl with hot water you can tolerate and set aside. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the whipped mixture to the prepared pan. Wet your hands with hot water and spread the marshmallows evenly in the pot. If necessary, rewet your hands to create a smooth surface.
Let the marshmallow surface dry at room temperature (it will feel sticky when prepared), and then coat the top with marshmallow powder. Cover the marshmallows with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours to overnight.
Pour the marshmallows placed now on the cutting board and mark them as 1 1/2-inch squares. Cut and coat with marshmallow powder to prevent the marshmallows from sticking together. Store marshmallows in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or refrigerate for 1 month.
Even before the start of my food writing career, I had been planning to travel around famous restaurants and the most popular new dishes, as an associate editor at The Daily Meal, where I Even before the start of my food writing career, I had been planning to travel around famous restaurants and the most popular new dishes, as an associate editor at The Daily Meal, where I covered food and beverage news, and wrote more. Long culinary travel topic. After TDM, I moved to a content editor position at Google, where I wrote Zagat content—including comments and blog posts—and copies that appeared in Google Maps and Google Earth. For Forbes, I covered a wide range of food and beverage topics, from interviews with chefs and artisanal manufacturers to national dining trends.
Post time: Aug-04-2021