Raspberry Vanilla Marshmallows

What a fun extra long weekend we had with family! I hope everyone in the U.S. had a great 4th of July celebration. Now back to food fun. :]

It's summer, so that means camping and s'mores over the fire. These marshmallows are divine! When you melt these and make them into a s'more it is unlike any s'more you've ever tasted. To me they taste like raspberry cheese cake with chocolate drizzled on top. Really they are that good. I've shared them with even those who don't like marshmallows and they have liked them. You'll be the hit at the fire pit if you bring these. :]

Raspberry Vanilla Marshmallows

Ingredients

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

1 cup cold water, dived

2 cups evaporated cane juice

1/2 cup agave

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites

3/4 tablespoon raspberry extract

1/2 tablespoon vanilla

3 drops red food coloring

1 to 2 cups organic powdered sugar for dusting

Directions

Grease bottom and sides of a 13 by 9 inch 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 and absorb completely.

In a sauce pan cook evaporated cane juice, agave, second 1/2 cup cold water, and salt over low heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until evaporated cane juice is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate, cover, and boil mixture. Once boiling, insert candy or digital thermometer and continue cooking until temperature reaches 240*F (soft ball stage). Remove pan from heat and pour cane juice mixture over gelatin mixture. Stir until gelatin is dissolved.

With standing mixer, beat on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl with clean beaters beat egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Then add into gelatin mixture with raspberry and vanilla extracts until just combined. Add food coloring and slightly swirl. Pour marshmallow mixture into prepared pan. Sift organic powdered sugar evenly over top. Chill in refrigerator, uncovered, until firm at least 3 hours or up to one day.

When marshmallows are set, run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers, loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into one inch cubes. Pour organic powdered sugar into empty baking pan. Dip each side of marshmallows into organic powdered sugar to avoid sticking together once they are cut. Place in zip lock back and leave in refrigerator until ready to use. Store for 2 to 3 weeks, and enjoy!

Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows

This has taken me a little longer than I thought it would, but here is the second part of my neighborhood gift I was telling you about last week. These peppermint marshmallows turned out just delicious! I love them! My kids love them! If you love or even like to put candy canes in your hot cocoa, you will love love LOVE these marshmallows! They make your hot cocoa creamy with the taste of peppermint. Make them, you'll love them!

Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows

Ingredients

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

1 cup cold water, divided

1 3/4 cup evaporated cane juice

1/2 cup agave

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg white

1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons peppermint extract (depending on how pepperminty you want them)

3 drops red food coloring

2 cups organic powdered sugar

3 organic candy canes, crushed

Directions

Grease bottom and sides of a 13x9 inch rectangular metal pan, and dust bottom and side 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.

Meanwhile, in a 3-quart heavy sauce pan cook evaporated cane juice, agave, second 1/2 cup cold water, and salt over low heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until cane juice is dissolved. Cover and increase heat to moderate high and boil. Once the mixture starts to boil uncover and insert candy or digital thermometer. Boil until the thermometer register 240*F (soft ball stage). Remove pan from heat and pour lot liquid mixture over gelatin mixture. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Turn on electric mixer to high speed and mix until mixture turns whit, thick, and nearly triples in volume, about 6 minutes.

While that thickens, in a separate bowl with cleaned beaters beat eggs whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat egg whites, peppermint, and food coloring into white mixture until just combined. Pour, now pink, mixture into baking pan. Sift some of the powdered sugar evenly over the top. Chill, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.

When firm, run a thin knife or rubber scraper, around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with rubber scraper, loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife rim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into one-inch cubes. Sift remaining organic powdered sugar back into our now-empty baking pan along with the crushed organic candy canes, and roll the marshmallow though it to prevent sticking. Store in a plastic bag in fridge or in freezer for up to one month, and enjoy!

To make small marshmallows like I did, use two 9x13 inch pans and divide pink mixture between the two pans. This allows you to cut them a little smaller for small marshmallows.

Pumpkin Marshmallows

I'm sorry about dropping off the face of the earth last week. To be honest I haven't been cooking and experimenting very much lately. Mostly last minute shopping and getting ready for Christmas. I'll try and do a little better. :]

When I found this recipe for pumpkin marshmallows I was so excited to try them. How good could they be, I thought. Well let me tell you... they are so amazing!!! I love them, and so do my kids and anyone who I let try them. I've decided that they are going to be part of my neighborhood Christmas gift this year. I'll tell you more about that hopefully by the end of this week or the beginning of next. Any who, these are sooo good and if you like to add chocolate chips to your pumpkin bread you will like these in your cup of hot chocolate or hot carob!

Pumpkin Marshmallows

Ingredients

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

2 cups evaporated cane juice

2/3 cup agave

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 level teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 heaping teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup organic powdered sugar

Directions

Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non stick cooking spray and dust with organic powdered sugar. Set aside.

Pour the 1/2 cup cold water into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set aside for 10 minutes. Combine the evaporated cane juice, agave, and 1/4 water in a sauce pan; cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Take the lid off when it starts to boil and add a candy thermometer. Heat to 250* F, or until a small amount of the syrup dropped into a cold a bowl of cold water forms a rigid ball.

Meanwhile, combine the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, mix well.

When the syrup is finished add to the dissolved gelatin and turn on your mixer on slow speed. Increase the speed to medium-high and add the salt. Mix until stiff, shiny, white in color, and tripled in size, about 5-12 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally using a rubber spatula.

When tripled in size remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the pumpkin mixture until combined. Return the bowl to the mixer and beat on medium-high speed about 3 minute longer. The mixture should form a more-or-less continuous ribbon off the spatula into the bowl.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan so that it is an even depth. Top with a light coat of organic powered sugar. Let the mixture set at room temperature for at least 8 hours or over night.
When the marshmallows have set, turn them onto a work surface and cut them into squares or shapes as desired. Roll each marshmallow in organic powdered sugar to coat each side to prevent sticking. Store in an airtight container in fridge or freezer. They can last for up to a month in the freezer or a week on the counter. Enjoy!

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!