Big fluffy homemade marshmallows with a crisp peppermint flavor and a festive red swirl. These delicious treats will take your cup of holiday cocoa to a new level! Adapted from Ina Garten's Homemade Marshmallows recipe.
Candy Thermometer or other high-temperature thermometer (needs to go up to 240°F)
Stand Mixer and Whisk Attachment
Ingredients
3packetsunflavored gelatin
1/2ccold water
1 1/2cgranulated sugar
1clight corn syrup
1/4tspkosher salt
1/2cwater
2tspvanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1tsppeppermint extract
fewdropsred food coloring
powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Use a sifter or sieve to generously dust an 8x8 or 9x9* non-metal baking dish with powdered sugar. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the gelatin with the 1/2 c cold water. Let it rest while you make a sugar syrup.
In a small saucepan (1 1/2-2 qt), combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 c water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Then turn the heat to medium-high or high and cook (not stirring) until the syrup reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer. (Note: if it looks like it might boil over, reduce the heat a bit)Remove from heat.
With the stand mixer beating on low speed, gradually pour the hot sugar syrup into the gelatin mixture. Once all of the sugar syrup is added, raise the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick and fluffy. (This took me a little under 10 minutes, but it could take up to 15).
Add the vanilla bean paste or extract and the peppermint extract, and continue beating until thoroughly combined.
Add a few drops of red food coloring, and use a silicone spatula to gently swirl the color through the marshmallow mixture.
Pour into the prepared pan and use the spatula to smooth the top, making sure the mixture fills into the corners. Use the sifter/sieve to dust the top of the marshmallows with a good layer of powdered sugar.
Let it stand overnight at room temperature, uncovered to allow the marshmallows to cool and dry out a bit.
The next morning, turn the marshmallows out of the pan onto a cutting board. If the edges of your pan are rounded, and you want straight-sided 'mallows, cut the edges off of the marshmallow slab first (a snack for the chef!).Then cut into 16 marshmallows (or more if you want smaller 'mallows). Tip: dust the knife with powdered sugar in between cuts to keep it from sticking too much.
Store marshmallows in an airtight container at room temperature, preferably covered in powdered sugar (to keep them from getting too dry). Stored like this, marshmallows can last for 2-3 weeks.
Notes
*This size pan will make thick marshmallows; for thinner or smaller marshmallows, use a 9x13 pan.