More raspberry…into fluffy & flavourful marshmallows!

I was addicted to candy when I was a kid, all my weekly allowance went into a bag as big as I could afford of assorted gummies!By that time I already preferred the soury ones over the sweet ones!This post is just a reminiscence of that time gone past which comes back from time to time with the urge to get a dose!;) But this is definately a much healthier option and with more possibilities to play around your favourite flavours into this candy form.

We made these in class last week to use up some infused strawberry syrup we had prepared for a panna cotta and left-over egg whites. Someone, who made me a big favour!, liked the idea and asked for the recipe, so here it goes! I chose raspberry at home, simply because I still have so much of it! But my favourite marshmallow flavours are amongst others: lime rind, coke & lemon (the coke needs to be reduced), passionfruit & kumquat and orange rind & orange blossom…Bailey’s is most people’s favourite, but I find it too sweet!. The recipe is the same, just substitute the raspberry juice for the juice, drink or essence of choice…to taste!Obviously for orange blossom, use with caution as too much tastes like perfume! or for the lime one, add the rind of half and juice to taste etc.

Like I said, this is a good way to use up left-over egg whites, and a much simpler one to making macarons! Though to do marshmallows the whites can be omitted by simply melting enough jelly into juice and sugar syrup or corn syrup, I prefer this method as it gives the marshmallows a fluffier texture. Also, if you are lucky enough to have a kitchen Aid mixer or any mixer of the sort, it makes your life easier and you will get even better results! Making them in the work’s kitchen Aid was dead easy, perfect texture. On the other hand, making them with a a handheld mixer is definately more work…but it works! Believe me, we’ve even made them beating by hand! Tiring, but not impossible, just get someone nearby to take over before your arm in numb ;)!

Raspberry marshmallows

(for 1 20x20cm tray)

2 egg whites (about 30g each)

100g of raspberry puree(I used this raspberry sauce, though fresh juice is best)

250g of white sugar

some water to wet the sugar (about 100g)

8 gelatin sheets, gold*

some lemon juice to taste, I used half a medium lemon to compensate the sauce

icing sugar, to coat*

*That is simply the commercial presentation according to the gelifying power (in bloom degrees)

**I blended some lyophilised raspberries with icing sugar in a coffee grinder to coat the marshmallows for a more intense and sour cover and a bright pink colour, but use either just icing sugar or mix with some sideral “pica pica” candy for a soury touch!

Get your raspberry puree ready, if you have to make it, I find it’s better strained off the seeds.

Hydrate your gelatin sheets (if you use powdered neutral gelatin, use about 14-16g) in cold water. If you haven’t used this before, it is important that the water is cold, specially now in summer when cold tab water is tepid! Otherwise when you try to grab them, you will find they’ve melted in! So, if you need to, add a pair of icecubes!

Then, simply remove excess water over a kitchen paper, so you don’t introduce extra moisture into the recipe.

More mise-en-place, prepare your mould, about a 20x20cm tupper or square metal ring over a tray, or the equivalent rectangular size (if you are daunty enough, you could skip all this and fill up a piping bag with the mixture to pipe the round marshmallow longs into a parchment sprinkled with icing sugar or a mix of icing-sugar and cornflour). For the mould bit, line with film or parchment and lightly grease with a neutral flavoured oil. That’s done!See the photo later on…

Place the sugar in a small pan with a bit of water, just enough to cover…if you add too much, no problem, it will just reduce until it get’s to the right consistency!The less water, the sooner it get’s to that syrup stage. Over medium heat reduce until you get to the firm ball stage, past the 120ºC. To test, if you haven’t got a thermometer, I find it easier to check when if goes past the thread stage, that is, when if you take a bit in between the forefinger and the thumb it makes a thick thread…Then, it will be past 116ºC, a minute more or so and it will do (for the photo, I wasn’t quick enough!so it doesn’t show very well). If you want to be precise, as the link says, grab a drop with the tip of a fork or so, immerse into a glass with cold water to cool and as you remove it, you should feel a malleable but firm ball.

If you have a kitchen aid or a robust mixer of the sort, you want to start beating your whites when the syrup is at about 110ºC or so, that is, when it begins to thicken and the bubbles are a bit smaller, as it will take no time to have them whipped up to make the italian meringue when you have the syrup ready. If you have a hand blender, begin a bit earlier, just in case :)

You want to reach firm peaks before you add the ready syrup, but do not whip past that stage or they will get dry and grainy, still you can add a bit of lemon juice or cream of tartar to avoid the grainyness.

Then, pour the syrup in a thin thread as you continue whipping (again…I love kitchen aids!). When all is incorporated, add the jelly sheets one at a time. From the heat of the meringue, they will melt, though if you prefer to melt them into the puree by heating it a little, or adding both that to the syrup, no problem. If you have added them one at a time, when melted, add the puree, juice or whatever (I haven’t added any colouring, but you can add a few drops of colouring here) and continue beating until the mixture thickens considerably and comes to room temperature…just don’t let it cool so much as to let the jelly set!!

Pour onto the lined mould/tupper, tap it a few times against the working surface to smooth the top and just let it set.

I love the looks of the sticky bits in the bowl!

When set, unmould…the film will come easily off if you greased it well. Another option to greasing is sprinkling icing sugar (on it’s own or with a bit of cornflour) on the surface, but the sides will probably stick, that’s why I prefer greasing. Cut to the desired size.

Coat with the icing sugar, the sideral candy or like I’ve done, the lyo raspberry powder mixed with icing sugar…and ready to eat!

By the way, those pink nibs around are the lyo raspberry!

Keep in the fridge best to keep it fresh, or it will dry up quite quickly if uncovered or go bad otherwise. Hope you or your kids like it!