Homemade marshmallows and snow-white mastic from them
2 servings
120 minutes
Homemade marshmallows and white fondant are a delicate cloud of sweetness born from European culinary tradition. Their airy texture and softness make them the perfect treat for any occasion. Marshmallows have a subtle vanilla aroma and pleasant sugary sweetness, while the fondant made from them is elastic and pliable, ideal for creating exquisite cake decorations. This recipe is true culinary art that combines the precision of syrup preparation, whipping to fluffiness, and shaping the perfect final product. Historically, marshmallows have roots in ancient Egypt, but the modern recipe gained popularity in the 19th century. Today, this dessert is used not only for treats but also in pastry making to decorate baked goods, turning simple items into works of art.
1
In a saucepan or pot (with a lid), dissolve sugar in 150 ml of water and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil.
- Sugar: 350 g
- Water: 150 ml
2
We add citric acid, mix, cover tightly with a lid (I sealed a hole in the lid with bread crumb) and leave it on the lowest heat for 45 minutes, then just turn it off. (Here my experiments continued three times. Because the first time I didn't do it on the slowest heat, and after 30 minutes I got some burnt black mixture, which shouldn't happen, the syrup should be pale yellow. The second time I forgot to set the alarm for 45 minutes — as a result, I got the same black-cherry mixture, but after an hour and a half when I remembered the pot. In general, I concluded that I am moving in the right direction, but an alarm is very necessary for my memory. On the third try, I got what I wanted).
- Citric acid: 2 g
3
We cool the mixture. I cooled it for about an hour to an hour and a half. Dissolve baking soda in a small amount of water (a tablespoon) and add it to the syrup. The mixture will foam. Stir occasionally. After 10-15 minutes, the syrup will be ready. It has the color and thickness of May honey and a pleasant aroma. This syrup does not harden; it is just thick. (I also forgot to dissolve the soda in water here, but I think it didn't affect the result much, but it's better to do it right — if you happen to do the same, don't despair.)
- Soda: 2 g
- Water: 150 ml
4
Now the recipe for the marshmallows. Dissolve gelatin in half a glass of water and let it swell for 15-30 minutes.
- Gelatin: 25 g
- Water: 150 ml
5
Pour the remaining water into a pot, add sugar, salt, and inverted syrup. Mix well.
- Water: 150 ml
- Sugar: 350 g
- Salt: 0.3 teaspoon
- Invert syrup: 150 g
6
Put on the fire and stir until boiling.
7
After boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for 8 minutes without stirring.
8
Warm the gelatin slightly in the microwave (about 40 seconds in mine). Place it in a bowl and mix at low speed. Gradually add the hot syrup while constantly mixing.
- Gelatin: 25 g
9
Then increase the speed and continue beating for 15 minutes. During this time, the mixture becomes white and resembles marshmallow or very stiff whipped egg whites (I managed to beat for about 12 minutes because I was worried about my mixer. Also, the mixture started to 'wrap' around the beaters). The last time I beat for 8 or 10 minutes, and everything turned out great.
10
At this stage, I decided to make the fondant. And indeed! There is no need to let it set. So, if you are not planning to make marshmallows, you can start from here, saving time. I still had a lot of mass left. So I did this: I took a clean bag, turned it inside out like a glove. Then I dripped some odorless vegetable oil. I turned it back so the oil was inside the bag and rubbed it well. Then I put it back on my hand and turned it inside out with the oil on the outside. Now I took the remaining mass with this 'glove' and wrapped it in the bag. This way, my hands stayed clean, and the mass didn't stick to the bag. I tied the bag tightly - now it is stored in the refrigerator.
11
Take a food film large enough to cover the mass on top. Lightly grease the film with odorless vegetable oil and line the mold. (If you are going to eat marshmallows, take a not very deep bowl. Since I needed the marshmallows for fondant, I took a bowl.)
12
Place the mass in a mold, cover with film, and leave to set in a cool place. I left it to set overnight on a closed balcony (it was about 0 degrees outside at night).
13
Next, if you want to eat marshmallows, mix 0.5 cup of powdered sugar and 0.5 cup of starch in a bowl. Take out the frozen mass, remove the film, cut into pieces (it's better to do this with a sharp knife) and coat in the mixture. If you need fondant, this step is skipped.
- Sugar: 350 g
- Sugar: 350 g
14
For the mastic, I cut a piece of marshmallow and weighed it - it was 145 grams.
15
Then I heated it in the microwave for 20 seconds. I gradually added powdered sugar (about 100 grams) first to the bowl, and then kneaded it on the table. In the end, the finished fondant weighed 570 grams. The fondant turned out smooth, silky, and very white.