"homemade marshmallows" news and stories

You haven't truly enjoyed a marshmallow until you've tried a homemade one. Sure, the processed bagged ones taste great sandwiched into s'mores, but, try as they might, they just don't compare to homemade ones. Or as blogger Ezra Pound Cake praises them, "marshmallows that actually MELT in hot chocolate instead of bobbing around looking stupid."

Despite their impressively sharp corners, these confections are as light as air, with a creamy puff of sugar that dissolves on the tongue like a saccharine cloud. And once you've surmounted the intimidation of homemade marshmallows -- a daunting task made more approachable by Ezra Pound Cake's helpful visual directions -- feel free to experiment with the recipe, adding peppermint or other essences, a dusting of the seasonal pumpkin pie spice, or whimsical food coloring. So give these puffs a whirl -- they even make impressive holiday gifts for friends.

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The marshmallows most of us know are fluffy, useless things that are best melted down into rice krispies treats or toasted on pointy sticks over open fires. However, there's another version of marshmallow, one that you can make in your own kitchen, that are far superior to the ones you buy at the local grocery store for $1.29 a bag and they make an excellent edible holiday gift.

Two years ago, Nicole Weston (during her Slashfood years) posted an excellent recipe for homemade marshmallows that will wow your friends and make your family praise your name (if you have questions about the recipe, make sure to read the comment section on the old post, it contains a bunch of helpful tips). The recipe is after the jump.

Homemade marshmallows are definitely one of my favorite candies. Unlike store-bought marshmallows, they are like little clouds of sweetness that are soft, tender and melt in your mouth. They are easy to eat, go perfectly with coffee, flavored coffee drinks and hot chocolate, and are ideal for making s'mores. They are also surprisingly easy to make, and very impressive when you bring them out to serve to friends or family. The only real drawback is that you really need a stand mixer to make them, as it allows you to keep your hands free while you're working and has a very large whisk (as opposed to the beaters of a hand-held mixer) that does the job quickly and efficiently.

I really recommend using vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean crush instead of plain vanilla extract because the tiny bean specks really look fantastic in the finished candy. Read on for the recipe, which I have made and enjoyed countless times: