Homemade Marshmallows

Well it's that time of year again, Fire roasting time!! If you are anything like my family you love the spring and summer for the fire building, tinfoil/dutch oven cooking, roasting marshmallows fun that can be had. I don't like how much sugar and chemicals that are in marshmallows. So only on special occasions would I let my kids eat some. Well not any more! These were so much fun to make!! I was able to cut the sugar down, they still taste good, and they don't have all of the chemicals in them. Besides it is so fun to tell people that I can and have made my own marshmallows. :] I tested them out on a bunch of neighborhood kids. They all liked these better than the store bought ones, which I had there for their tasting comparisons. I got the original recipe from a friend here.

Homemade Marshmallows

Ingredients

About 1 cup organic powdered sugar*

3 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons)

1 cup cold water, divided

1 3/4 cups evaporated cane juice

1/2 cup agave

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites

2 table spoons vanilla

Directions

Grease bottom and sides of a 13x9 in rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with organic powdered sugar.

In a bowl of a standing electric mixer sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water, and let stand to soften.

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook evaporated cane juice, agave, second 1/2 cup cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. Cover and increase heat to moderate and boil. Once the mixture starts to boil uncover and keep boiling, without stirring, until a Candy or digital thermometer registers 240* F (soft ball stage). Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Turn on electric mixer to high speed and mix until mixture turns white, thick, and nearly triples in volume, about 6 minutes.

In a separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan. Sift 1/4 cup organic powdered sugar evenly over top. Chill, uncovered, until firm at least three hours, and up to one day.

When firm, run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with finger or plastic scraper, loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes (a pizza cutter works well). Sift remaining organic powdered sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows thought it to prevent sticking.

Build a fire to cook them over. Add them to hot carob, or just eat them as they are. The possibilities are out there! Store in fridge.

*I make my own organic powdered sugar.

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup evaporated cane juice

Put in blender and blend until powdered sugar consistency

yep it's that easy! and soo much cheaper!