Raspberry Marshmallows

Raspberry Marshmallows... Fluffy, soft, pink marshmallows...I have always wanted to make homemade marshmallows, and recently came upon quite a few recipes online. Marshmallows have 3 major components ...SUGAR,water and unflavored gelatin. Many of the recipes asked for 4 envelopes of gelatin. I looked in my pantry to find that I only had 3. What to do?... I ended up searching some more, and came upon Ina Garten's Toasted Coconut Marshmallow recipe. Was happy to see her recipe required only 3 envelopes of gelatin.Yay:)! Now, I like Ina Garten's recipes a lot. So, I decided to look no further.

I LOVE coconut and originally had planned on doing the coconut ones. But, to my dismay, I looked in my pantry to find that I had finished the last batch of my coconut in my granola bar recipe. So, I thought I would do a tinted marshmallow... I decided to make them pink. The only problem was that I didn't want to use any dyes. I knew I had some frozen raspberries ...and lo and behold I came up with my PINK raspberry flavored marshmallows.

The raspberry marshmallows were more of a trial and error, since I didn't know how much of the raspberries I should add. I really didn't know if adding the raspberries would eventually ruin the recipe... but at the last minute I decided to add the raspberries:). I am glad I did, as they came out wonderful!

The transformation of these ingredients into fluffy marshmallows is really quite fun to see. I know they are SWEEET, but making them was fun and you can make all sorts of cute things with them. You can give them away as gifts attached with some nice cocoa mix, dip them in chocolate, make raspberry flavored smores...you get the idea. Hope you enjoy...

Ingredients: adpated from Ina Garten

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

*** if you want to make them raspberry flavored, use about 1 cup of frozen raspberries heated in a sauce pan for about 2-3 minutes on med heat. Mash the raspberries with a fork. They will reduce to about 1/3 cup of raspberry puree. Let cool.

Directions:

1. Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup
 
2. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
3. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

4. Remove from the heat. It is at this point that you can add the raspberry puree to the gelatin.
5. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. I poured the syrup slowly unto the side of the mixer bowl. After I had poured it all, I then put the mixer on high speed and whipped until the mixture was very thick, about 15 minutes.

6. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.
7. Sprinkle confectioner's sugar in an 9 by 13-inch nonmetal pan that has been lined in plastic wrap.I wanted to make sure the marshmallow batter would not stick. 

8. Pour in the marshmallow batter and smooth the top of the mixture with damp hands.

9. Allow to dry uncovered at room temperature overnight. (I didn't have patience and left it for a few hours...the top was dry and it was spongy...I thought it was ready and I cut into it!)
10. Remove the marshmallows from the pan and cut into squares.

I put some confectioner's sugar unto a towel and inverted the pan.
11. Roll the sides of each piece carefully in confectioners' sugar.
12.Store uncovered at room temperature.
 
~remember you can make your own flavor and be creative..., try them rolled in toasted coconut, your favorite nut, use sprinkles if you like, make a double batch and make them bi-colored(pink and white) etc.