Make these delicate snowball marshmallows with blue plant dye provided by butterfly pea tea. Reminiscent of Wedgewood pottery, these homemade marshmallows are a unique treat for the winter holidays or even a gender reveal for a new baby! We’ve got a version that’s tea-party worthy, and one that’s just for the kids.
More Marshmallow Recipes for Later:
Pumpkin Spice Gourmet Marshmallows
Honey Marshmallows – No Corn Syrup!
Blue Plant Dye
If you’re interested in natural dyes for Easter eggs or fiber or any number of other crafty and culinary reasons, then you’ve probably discovered that blue is a hard color to come bye. There just aren’t many true blue plant dyes that actully work!
Here is a short list of the ones that have actually performed consistently for us:
- Blueberry works well to color Easter eggs and is fantastic as a natural dye for frostings and milkshakes. It’s much easier to work with if it’s been dehydrated or, better yet, freeze dried and powdered.
- Black beans will make a quality dye for Easter eggs, as well as fabric and natural fiber yarn.
- Purple cabbage will work for Easter eggs, too. You can also change the color to purple/fuscia with the application of some acid (like lemon juice or vinegar).
- Indigo and woad both provide colorfast textile dyes that are amazing, though the process of using both is has a learning curve all their own.
- For ease of use, my favorite has got to be butterfly pea flower which not only makes a delicious tea, but also provides a gorgeous true blue color.
FYI, there are a number of other botanicals that will provide blue plant dye for a time like cornflowers (super light) and lupine flowers. But nothing lasts very long, even on Easter eggs. You can see more of our experiments with natural dye here:
Homeschool Natural Dye Experiment
Which Are the Best Blue Plant Dyes?
The best blue plant dyes for food: butterfly pea flower and blueberries.
The best blue plant dyes for textiles: Indigo/woad and red cabbage.
- To learn more about natural dye of textiles, including woad, please visit wearingwoad.com.
How to Make Snowball Marshmallow with Blue Plant Dye
After we made a simple butterfly pea flower simply sugar syrup to flavor iced drinks and homemade ice cream, we decided we had to make a blue marshmallow! These are tons of fun every time we make them, even the sticky mess we make as we form the kid-special snowballs.
- The coconut mimics snow in a lower carb way, but you could also use powdered sugar.
- We sometimes add peppermint for winter flavor.
- These marshmallows are delicious without peppermint, too – the flavor of the coconut really comes through.
Snowball Marshmallows with Blue Plant Dye
Equipment
- 1 Heavy Bottomed Sauce Pot
- 1 Candy thermometer
- 1 9" x 11" Baking Pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Butterfly Pea Tea Concentrate
- 1/4 Cup Butterfly Pea Flowers
- 1 Cup Water
Snowball Marshmallows
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 3 Tbsp. Organic Gelatin
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 2 1/4 Cup Organic Cane Sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
- 2 drops Peppermint Essential Oil Or 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
Instructions
Make Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Concentrate
- Steep 1/4 cup of butterfly pea flower tea in 1 cup of boiling water. Allow to sit for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Strain out the botanical material and compost. Reserve the tea for the marshmallow recipe.
Prepare the Gelatin
- Place 3 Tbsp. of organic gelatin into the bottom of your stand mixer's bowl (or any large, heat-proof mixing bowl). Add 1/2 cup of water (you can substitute out more of the pea flower tea, if you'd like).
- Gently stir to be sure all the gelatin is submerged in the water. Allow it to absorb all the water and plump up - this process is called "blooming".
Make Snowball Marshmallows
- Prepare your pan with parchment paper to fit and completely line the pan for easy removal of the marshmallows when they're done. Also, get your candy thermometer ready*.
- Place 1/2 cup of butterfly pea flower tea, 2 1/4 cups of organic cane sugar, and 1/2 tsp. of sea salt into a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Mix slowly and consistently until the sugar melts.
- Heat the syrup to 238°F - 240°F (114°C - 116°) while slowly stirring the syrup to prevent scorching. Don't mix too vigorously or introduce air into the syrup. Use a candy thermometer to be sure of temperature. This usually takes 5-10 minutes.
- Using hot mitts to hold the syrup pot, have a helper turn the stand mixer to low while you slowly (so slowly) drip the hot syrup down the inside of the mixing bowl. Be patient and continue to drip slowly.
- Have your helper turn up the mixer one or two notches to speed up the mixing process as you continue to add more syrup. Hold the pot while your helper scrapes out the rest of the syrup into the bowl.
- Add peppermint essential oil or extract, if you're using it.
- Put the mixing collar on and turn the mixer up to high. You may need to use a kitchen towel to cover any openings in the collar to prevent splashing until the marshmallow begins to set up. Watch for the mix to bulk up, change color, and thicken.
- Once you have soft peaks, stop the mixer, bang off the whisk attachment to remove excess marshmallow, and QUICKLY put all the marshmallow fluff into your pan.
- Carefully bang the pan on the counter to level the marshmallow and smooth the top as much as you can. It will be quickly drying as you work, so just do your best.
- Cover with a mesh screen or parchment paper (don't let it touch the marshmallow) to air dry. I usually add a kitchen towel on top to keep out bugs and children. The longer they sit, the dryer the marshmallows will be.
Forming the Snowflake Marshmallows
- After the marshmallows have set up, pull up the parchment paper to remove them from the pan. Place on a cutting board and use a round biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out the "snowball" shape.
- Pull off the trim pieces and roll the snowballs immediately in coconut flakes. Place on a lovely plate and serve for tea.
For the Kids!
- Have the kids wash their hands and each pick up 2-3 Tbsp. of the marshmallow trimmings. Have them smoosh the bits into a ball as best they can. The snowballs will be a little shaggy and weird, but they'll look cool.
- Have them roll the marshmallow balls in the coconut and place on their own plate to serve to their friends.
Notes
- If the syrup forms a thread, it will be around the right temperature for soft ball candy, which is perfect for marshmallows. (See the graphic in the post to learn more.)
- If you don't have a stand mixer, be sure to use a helper so that you can pour while your helper slowly mixes.
- If you're making marshmallows by yourself, you can soak pots and utensils in water to loosen the sugar.
- The risk you run when you set aside the pot to cool down is that you'll forget about it or miss that golden moment when the syrup is still workable but not set up.
Snowball Marshmallow Notes
The first thing to know is that marshmallow making is so easy you’ll wonder why you ever bought them at a store. They’re the kind of treat that looks really fancy to DIY, but is, in fact, a breeze.
However, it is MESSY and the syrup is HOT! I’m usually making marshmallows with an elementary to high school-aged child, so they can follow instructions and are tall enough to interact safely in the kitchen. This isn’t a recipe I make with toddlers!
When you’re done with the syrup pot, have your helper rinse it immediately with warm water and scrub it down to clearn it to prevent syrup from sticking. Marshmallows are MESSY, so try to stay on top of cleaning your pots and utensils.
If you’re making marshmallows by yourself, you can soak pots and utensils in water to loosen the sugar.
- One last note, marshmallows are like any candy in that they’re harder to make well when it’s hot and humid in the kitchen.
2 Versions of Snowball Marshmallows with Blue Plant Dye
When you have a perfectly round, cut out snowball marshmallow, it ends up looking like a blue porcelin Wedgewood petit four. Especially once you add the coconut! They’re dainty and delicate and gorgeous.
However, they don’t really look like something you’d lob at your best friend and hope it melts down the back of his coat. For that, you need the kid-friendly version of this recipe.
For the Kids:
- Have the kids wash their hands and each pick up 2-3 Tbsp. of the marshmallow trimmings.
- Help them smoosh the bits into a ball as best they can. The snowballs will be a little shaggy and weird, but they’ll look cool.
- Immediately roll around in coconut.
Have the kids put the marshmallows on a plate for them to serve to their friends while the grown-ups eat the more civilized snowball marshmallows.
Don’t Have a Stand Mixer or Thermometer?
If you don’t have a candy thermometer, get a small cup of ice water and place it close to your work area. One you’ve boiled the syrup and it has thickened, you can place a small amount of the syrup into the water. If the syrup forms a thread, it will be nearly the right temperature for soft ball candy and will work for marshmallows.
If you want your marshmallows a littler stiffer, heat the syrup to soft ball stage, which will form a litle clump or ball when placed in ice water. (See the graphic in the post to learn more.)
More Troubleshooting
If you don’t have a stand mixer, be sure to use a helper so that you can pour while your helper slowly mixes.
- If you don’t have a helper, move slowly and precisely to not tip your pot while you turn on the mixer. Then, add your syrup slowly. Be sure to use hot mitts!
If you don’t have a helper nor a stand mixer, set aside the pot of hot syrup until it cools down enough to touch. Add the syrup to the bloomed gelatin and mix following the instructions.
- The risk you run when you set aside the pot to cool is that you’ll forget about it or miss that golden moment when the syrup is still workable but not set up.
Many cultures use plant based dyes, especially at celebratory dyes. In our book, Homestead Holidays, there’s a whole list of natural pigments added to the celebration colors of the Hindu festival of Holi. Talk a fun time with natural dyes! If you’d like to learn more, maybe even mix your own natural dyes, or celebrate a little more with your family this year, grab your own copy of Homestead Holidays below!
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