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Honey-Sweetened Marshmallows

This is a basic recipe sweetened with honey. For those who haven't made their own marshmallows before, this is NOT as hard as it might seem.
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Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • Stand or hand mixer
  • Candy thermometer
  • Silicone Spoon
  • Glass Baking Dish
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup Unchlorinated Water
  • 1/2 cup Organic Beef Gelatin
  • 2 cups Honey
  • 1/2 cup Unchlorinated Water
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Optional
  • 1/2 tsp Powdered Nutmeg Optional

Instructions
 

Prepare the Dish FIRST

  • Prepare an 9 x 11 casserole dish one of two ways. You can grease the dish with high quality fat and then dust it with powdered sugar or cocoa. Or you can simply place parchment paper to fit (including up the sides inside and over the dish.)

Bloom the Gelatin

  • Put 1/2 cup gelatin and the first 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of a stand mixer bowl (or any bowl).
  • Slightly stir it to make sure all the gelatin is submerged in the water. This will cause the gelatin to "bloom" (or poof up a bit). Set aside.

Make the Marshmallow Syrup

  • Heat 2 cups of honey, 1/2 cup water, and 1 tsp. salt in a medium saucepan. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 tsp. of ground nutmeg, if using. Turn the pan to medium heat. Stir occassionally.
  • Gently boil the honey mixture until a candy thermometer reaches 225F/107C degrees. The honey should bubble, froth, and turn a deeper caramel color.
  • Once temperature is reached, immediately remove from heat and bring it over to the mixer.
  • Turn the mixer on low/medium (use the whisk attachment) and slowly stir honey mixture into the bloomed gelatin. Drizzle the honey down the inside of the bowl at a slow, steady rate.*
  • Mix to incorporate, stopping to scrape down sides a few times.
  • Once honey and gelatin are mixed, put the collar on your mixing bowl (if you have one). If you don't, place a towel over the top of the bowl to prevent splashes.
  • Turn the mixer to high and watch for the honey syrup to change into marshmallow fluff. The color will lighten and the mixture will thicken. You'll know the marshmallow mixture is ready to put in the pan when it becomes semi-stiff - a little bit like beaten egg whites, but stickier. This can take anywhere from 8-20 minutes.
  • Spoon the marshmallow cream into your prepared dish with a greased scraper. Cover them lightly with parchment paper without allowing the paper to touch the marshmallows. Set in a cool, dry place.
  • For softer marshmallows, let them set up for 4-6 hours. For dryer marshmallows, let them set up for 8-24 hours.

Notes

When lining the pan, the parchment paper won't lie down until the marshmallow is weighing it down. However, once they're dry, the paper will just peel off the marshmallows.
The salt is VITAL to the success of your sugar syrup. Do not forget to add the salt!
You don't need to stir the mixture, but you may stir the sugar syrup as it heats, but do so gently. If you splash the syrup onto the sides of the pan, it will crystalize. 
  • Use a lightly damp pastry brush to wet the sugar and it will dissolve and return to the syrup mixture.
*The only tricky part to marshmallows is adding the honey syrup to the gelatin at a SLOW and STEADY rate.
  • This is necessary because, if the honey syrup changes temperature too quickly, it will crystalize. Once crytalized, you will be unable to whip it into marshmallow fluff.
  • Alternatively, you can cool the marshmallow mixture by setting it aside. However, I NEVER do this because I'm an airhead and will simply forget about the marshmallow syrup. It will set up and become unusable for marshmallows.
To dry the marshmallows in the pan, I usually put a bakers rack or grease shield over the top of the pan. This allows for air flow while the marshmallows cool.
  • Then, I'll cover that with a towel or parchment paper to keep out bugs, cats, and children.
To cut the marshmallows use a greased pizza cutter for streamlined sizing.  Or use greased cookie cutters.
  • The marshmallows will stick here and there, but don't worry too much. They'll peel of metal and glass. And you.
Dust your marshmallows in powdered sugar to keep them from sticking. This step is optional, especially if you've dried your marshmallows well.
  • Other dusting ideas include cinnamon, cocoa, or powdered keto sugar. 
  • I don't like the extra sugar, so I rarely dust my marshmallows.
You can also roll them in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, cookie crumbs, or coconut flakes. Anything tasty that will hold still long enough will be suitable.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!