calzephyr | Handmade Marshmallows

You know those awful math problem solving questions that never give you quite enough information to answer the question? And if you're like me, you never do figure out fast train A is going when train B departs half an hour earlier :-) Some recipes are like that, and I should have this coming with the wording of this marshmallow recipe. I should have re-wrote it so that it made more sense (I would put greasing the pan as the first step, for example). A candy thermometer would have helped too. At the crucial moment when I probably should have removed the saucepan from the burner, my syrup solidified and was more like slushy sugar. It was one of those things that happens very fast and it went from boiling to sugary slush in a couple minutes. It hardened to the bottom of the saucepan and I was able to knock it loose by filling the pan with water and boiling it back to sugar goo.

Since I was only out 2 cups of sugar, I tried again, keeping a better eye on the syrup. I hit the right consistancy to have syrup and everything came together. The hardest part was waiting for the gelatin to set. Even harder was cutting them into little cubes.

The ultimate test came when I made a big cup of hot chocolate. I envisioned my little gooey creations floating and melting into a sweet layer. Instead the first marshmallow sank like a stone! Oh no! My husband tried to console me as I vainly stirred. I guess I didn't beat them into a froth for long enough.

So now I have a good 60 or so handmade marshmallows that aren't worthy of hot chocolate. But they are still sweet and very edible. I'll take them to work tomorrow and hopefully my co-workers will like them.

And since cooking counts for Thing A Day, here's the photo proof: