Maple Syrup-Sweetened Marshmallows
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A few weeks back I tempted you with some cane sugar-free, corn syrup-free, egg-free marshmallows. I promised the recipe, and it's finally ready. We've had some medical stuff to deal with and so I thank you— you've been incredibly patient.
Mad Science in the Kitchen
These past weeks in my mad marshmallow experimentation I have learned that you cannot substitute agar agar for gelatin when making these marshmallows. I have learned that the type of sweetener used can make a difference. Believe it or not, marshmallows have a preference for sucrose over glucose. And, I have learned that as temperamental as they can be, marshmallows are pretty easy to make! I feel I have a lot more to learn and so I will continue my education in the field of Marshmallow Science. I wonder if Alton Brown would want to come over and play? Alton?
The Sweeteners
I tested a slew of sweeteners ... and here's how they fared.
HONEY
First up were honey-sweetened marshmallows using this recipe from Z's Cup of Tea. Its a goody! An intense "honey" experience, fur shure. Oh and if honey is your thing, Kelly over at The Spunky Coconut has a great recipe for Honey Marshmallow Fluff in her Dairy-Free Ice Cream cookbook.
COCONUT NECTAR
Next up, coconut nectar—that insanely expensive, lower-glycemic, caramel undertoned sweetener that I love atop my almond milk frappucino. Well, the jury is still out on this one. This batch bound up on me to the point I couldn't even scoop it out of the bowl! I plan to try coconut nectar again to ensure it wasn't an error on my part, but after my initial "fail" I moved on to ...
GLUTEN-FREE BROWN RICE SYRUP
These marshmallows (pictured in the tutorial below) turned out nicely—not as fluffy as the maple syrup version (I used a smaller measure of water), but more on the soft and tender side. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the brown rice syrup aftertaste. That said, I might make these again, but I'd likely flavor them with a fairly strong extract (peppermint was great) to mask the brown rice syrup aftertaste. But really, I thought they were the bomb until I tried ...
MAPLE SYRUP
YES! These were the ticket! Tonight, as we finished off a batch of Maple Marshmallows, my son said "Mom, these are the best ones so far," and I had to agree. These marshmallows were fluffy and on the stiffer side.
Three Tips
Before we dive into the recipe, I am going to to give you three pointers.
FIRST: 235-245˚F is what we call the soft-ball candy stage. I found that it's best to remove the boiling sweetener from heat the instant it hits the 235˚F mark and certainly before the 245˚F mark. A syrup hotter than 245˚F may cause the marshmallows to flop.
SECOND: Do not over beat. Beating and beating and beating in hopes of creating a mile high pile of fluff seems to cause the mixture to cool to the point that it begins to set. This may not be the case for all marshmallow recipes ... but seems to be for this one.
Beat just to the point when the mixture turns white, thickens up, and gently falls in ribbons (versus thin stream) from the beaters. Beat much longer—to soft peaks or when you feel the mixture pull at or climb up the beaters—and the mixture will begin to set and will be nearly impossible to spread (but not to worry, they'll still be good to eat!).
THIRD: No two batches of marshmallows have turned out exactly the same for me. So just roll with it and enjoy the fruits (however they turn out) of your labor!
Maple Syrup Sweetened Marshmallows
Ingredients:
1/3 cup, plus more as needed, ARROWROOT STARCH, potato or corn starch
1/2 cup cold WATER
2 teaspoons pure gluten-free VANILLA EXTRACT
1/4 teaspoon fine SALT
2-1/2 tablespoon unflavored powdered GELATIN
1 cup pure MAPLE SYRUP
1/8 teaspoon CREAM OF TARTAR (recommended but not necessary)
Directions:
Lightly coat an 8x8" square pan with oil. Generously dust sides and bottom with starch. Set aside.- Add water, vanilla, and salt to a deep, wide mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Slowly sprinkle gelatin over surface of liquids to bloom. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan slowly bring maple syrup and cream of tartar (if using) to a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil, slowly increasing temperature to medium-high until a digital or candy thermometer registers the syrup at the low end of the soft ball candy stage—235˚F. Immediately remove from heat!
- Working quickly and carefully, slowly beat hot syrup into bloomed gelatin using a handheld or stand mixer. I have a handheld and do this in the sink in case of splatters.
- Beat until the mixture thickens, turns white, and gently falls in ribbons when the beaters are lifted from the bowl—about 5-6 minutes.
- Pour mixture into the prepared 8x8-inch pan. Quickly smooth top with oiled rubber spatula or fingers.
- Dust surface with additional starch and let set 2-3 hours at room temperature or until firm to touch.
- Unmold from pan onto a starch-dusted surface and slice into desired sized cubes (large or mini) with a sharp starch-dusted knife.
- Dust marshmallows in starch as needed to prevent sticking.
- Store in air-tight container at room temp for up to one week or freeze.
Notes & More Helpful Hints:
Like 'em Super Firm: If you like firm and structured marshmallows (like Kraft Jet-Puffed), add an extra 1/2 tablespoon gelatin, bringing the measure up to 3 tablespoons.
And I Bet You're Wondering... : Yeah, no, these beauties do not perform fireside or atop a sweet potato casserole. They don't "toast," they melt. But that's okay by me, I am just glad to know that I can make these fluffy treats for my kids to enjoy as is or floating in a mug of hot cocoa.
The Mixer: Gasp! I don't have a stand mixer, and sure wouldn't refuse one (hint, hint KitchenAid, this one would be sweet!). For those of you who do, I'd love your report. Did your marshmallows turn out insanely fluffy?
For Mini Marshmallows: Spread the whipped mixture in a slightly larger pan to achieve a height of about 1/2 inch.
Flavors: For chocolate marshmallows, add 2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder in the last minute of beating. For peppermint marshmallows, add 1/8 teaspoon (or to taste) of peppermint extract. For an extra vanilla kick, add a couple teaspoons of this powder (does contain a small amout of cane sugar) to the your final dusting starch. Mmmmmm. Still dreaming up more!
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Reader Comments (22)
I cannot wait to make these! I've been wanting to make homemade marshmallows again and I love the idea of using maple syrup...it's one of my fave ingredients in baking :) Oh, and you NEED to get a Kitchenaid mixer! Honestly. It will change you're life!
Oh Sarah ... I just may have to break down and get one. But where will it go on my counter? The juicer the processor, the pressure cooker ... I think I just need a whole new kitchen!! This will be an expensive mixer : ) ... Did you get my email BTW? xoLexie
Oooh the possibilities I am imagining... I LOVE maple syrup!
Hi Lexie, we have been waiting for this post; we'll try it and see just how fab! Nice pic and presentation of the idea! XXOO
Gorgeous and yummy homemade marshmallows, Lexie! I used to wonder why people would even consider making their own marshmallows ... then I started reading labels. Ugh. So nice to have a healthier recipe!
xo,
Shirley
Hiya Lexie,
What happened when you used agar agar? I'm really curious, as I have a vegetarian friend that I'd really like to make marshmallows for that we could both enjoy.
These do look heavenly, however... and just in time for hot cocoa season!
You worked so hard, thanks for the great recipe and all the great info. I always feel so guilty when I give my kids store-bought marshmallows, I know they are SUPER unhealthy! Thanks again!
Morri ... I got a custard like thing : ) You could check out this book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Seaweed-Cookbook-Discovering/dp/1556436521
There is a recipe for agar (vegan) marshmallows. I have not tried it but have been real curious. Just an option.
xoLexie
Thank you Poha. I know YOU will let me know how they turn out for you. xoLex
These photos make me want to just jump into some sort of fairy land and drown myself in a magical sea of confections! Love it!
Holy moly, these are little heavenly pillows Lex! You amaze me, seriously.
WOW! These look amazing! Can't wait to try them! Thanks for sharing :)
These are beautiful Lexie! I think my kidlets would love to make their own marshmallows! Right now I treat them to marshmallows in their hot chocolate. This recipe would make me feel MUCH better about that.
These look pretty incredible!
This is a dangerous recipe to have for sure! I'm glad the winner ended up being maple syrup. It has such a great flavor, even if it's not the cheapest...
Thank you so much for this recipe! It really takes an entire cup of maple syrup (sounds really sweet!)? Of course, I've only ever made the regular kind of marshmallows, so this is completely new for me. Can I use vanilla paste instead of extract? I've made all kinds of marshmallows: raspberry, vanilla, peppermint, chocolate, toasted coconut, cinnamon-nutmeg...
Thanks again Lexi!
All I can say is that you are AMAZING!!!! This is incredible! The photos, the steps, the tips... You are so talented. Seriously.
I am thinking that this will be a holiday project with the boys for sure!
And PS... I am so hoping that KitchenAid gets your hint!! You so need one of those babies!
XOXOX
I saw that you think substituting agar agar will not suffice in this recipe. Can you explain why? My sister is vegan and I have been searching high and low for a vegan marshmallow recipe to try making for her. She also prefers gluten free (though it's not a necessity), and your recipe looks like it might work for us...except the use of gelatin. Any suggestions?
Jenna, all I can say is that the agar batch turned to goo. I got a custard-like thing : ) You could check out this book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Seaweed-Cookbook-Discovering/dp/1556436521
There is a recipe for agar (vegan) marshmallows. I have not tried it but have been real curious. Just an option.
xoLexie
Lexie, this is the first time I've seen your post. Love your marshmallow photos, especially the step-by-step ones! I've wanted to make marshmallows with maple syrup for a long time, but just haven't done it yet. Also thank you so much for trying my recipe - did you add vanilla extract as well? I've noticed that it usually offsets the strong honey flavour.
Hi Lexie, I made these using honey and no cream of tartar and I used my Kitchen Aid mixer; they came up amazingly fluffy and thick (I put them on parchment paper on cookie sheets, cut them out and let them dry for 12 hours). My daughters' classes LOVED them and the adults prefer them!!
Thanks for the recipes!
Tammy, thanks for sharing your success!! I just got a hand-me-down kitchen aid .... you've inspired me to ditch the hand-held and break the kitchen aid out :) xoLexie