Simple Homemade Marshmallow Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the three main ingredients in marshmallows? ›

A typical marshmallow contains sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin, plus some air. That's it. “A marshmallow is basically a foam that's stabilized by gelatin,” says Richard Hartel, a food engineer at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In marshmallows, the foam is made up of air suspended in a liquid sugar mixture.

Even just a couple degrees too hot or too cool makes all the difference. If the sugar isn't cooked hot enough, they'll be mushy (and possibly contribute to the "soggy" factor mentioned above). If the syrup is cooked too hot, they'll set too firm and chewy and lack volume.

The fluffy and chewy texture of marshmallows is thanks to gelatin, the same ingredient that gives Jell-O its jiggle. Cornstarch and powdered sugar coat the outside to keep them from sticking to one another.

Marshmallows are made of sugar, corn syrup (sugar), water and gelatin. They can have other things added for flavor and color, but that's it. The magic is how the ingredients are combined. Marshmallows are a scaffolding of sugar and gelatin that stays rigid enough to become a network of stable air bubbles.

In the 19th century, marshmallows were made by mixing mallow root sap, egg whites and sugar into a fluffy mold. The French added cornstarch to help speed up the production and give the candy its unforgettable form. Today the manufacturing of marshmallows is quite different. Mallow root sap has been replaced by gelatin.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Dandies - All Natural Vegan Marshmallows Vanilla - 10 oz. - Walmart.ca.

First, if the syrup is too hot, it can cause the gelatin to break down, resulting in marshmallows that are flat and runny. A second reason is if the syrup is too cool, it won't blend well with the gelatin, leading to a lumpy texture.

Unlike marshmallows which have a firm and spongey consistency, marshmallow cream doesn't firm up because it's made without gelatin. The most popular brand of marshmallow creme, Marshmallow Fluff, originated in the early 20th century.

What does cornstarch do in marshmallows? ›

The reason marshmallows in a bag don't stick together and form a sugar-monster glob is that they're coated in a thin dusting of cornstarch. You can use cornstarch, or, as in this recipe from King Arthur Baking, with powdered sugar, which contains cornstarch.

Although most gelatin is obtained from pigs bones, there is no meat present in sweet marshmallows. Most marshmallows contain gelatin which is a substance obtained from collagen found in the bones of various animals, including cattle, pigs and fish.

CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, DEXTROSE, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, WATER, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF GELATIN, TETRASODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE (WHIPPING AID), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, BLUE 1.

Long ago people made marshmallows with ingredients from the marshmallow herb, but today we usually make them with other ingredients, namely gelatin, corn syrup and sugar. In this appetizing activity you'll get to explore what ratio of sugar to corn syrup produces the best-tasting and best-textured marshmallows!

Yes, technically this means that marshmallows have ingredients that are made out of bones (usually pig or cow bones), and they're therefore not safe for vegans or vegetarians to eat. However, it is possible to make vegan and vegetarian substitutes that mimic the properties of gelatin.