Systematic Review of Marshmallows

Making marshmallows is relatively simple. But there are millions of varying recipes for it. Does it matter which recipe you use?
Personally, I don't think it does - you'll still end up with yummy marshmallows. Some recipes will give you gooey marshmallows whereas others will be light and fluffy but both will be delicious.

Fluffy Marshmallows - YUM!

So what are the bare minimum ingredients to make marshmallows?

Sugar - I've used both raw sugar and caster and it doesn't make a difference. You want to get your sugar to about 245F. It's fairly easy if you have a candy thermometer. If not you can have fun experimenting with your sugar syrup and cold water. Ideally you should reach the firm ball stage. This website has a good explanation of sugar stages.

Gelatine -  Marshmallows are really just toffee with more water and air. Gelatine is what keeps the water in your Marshmallows. Your Gelatine will generally have instructions on how much to use. I use one sachet which is enough to set 500mL of water.  However, my recipe only requires about 250mL of water.

Water - You have to add water to you sugar to make sugar syrup. Also, you require water for your gelatine.  The amount of water you add to your gelatine will largely determine whether you get gooey, sticky marshmallows or dryer, light and fluffy ones. It's largely personal preference. This is where you can vary things to get the perfect marshmallows.

Optionals are

Vanilla essence - Flavouring. I've never tried to make marshmallows without this but you can. You could always use some other flavouring

Eggs Whites - Often recipes will call for egg whites. Theoretically, egg whites should make your Marshmallows that extra bit fluffier but I haven't noticed this.

Corn syrup - This is a type of Inverted Sugar. Basically, it's sucrose broken down into the smaller sugars fructose and glucose, which are less likely to crystallise when the sugar syrup cools down. However, I've never used corn syrup and have never had issues with the syrup crystallising.

Icing sugar/Corn flour - A mixture of icing sugar and corn flour is often used to coat marshmallows

Grated coconut - Toasted coconut is another alternative for coating your marshmallows.

Colouring - For more fun!

So my recipe?

Ingredients
1.5 cups sugar
1 cup water
20g gelatine
1 teaspoon vanilla
Food colouring
1/2 cup Icing sugar
1/2 cup Corn flour

Method

1. Add gelatine to 1/2 cup water, mix and set aside.
2. Line a tray with baking paper, and dust baking paper with icing sugar
3. Add sugar and 1/2 cup water to saucepan and bring to boil on med-high heat.
4. Check temperature with candy thermometer and reduce heat to low-medium as temperature goes above 235F
5. Remove sugar syrup from heat when 245F is reached and place saucepan on cool surface (e.g. sink) to stop heating
6. Let sugar syrup cool for a minute and then mix in the gelatine
7. Pour sugar gelatine syrup into a mixing bowl and beat with mixer for about 10 min until the mixture has cooled down and is no longer rising
8. Add flavouring and colouring and pour into tray
9. Allow at least 4 hours to set.
10. Cut up marshmallows and coat with mixture of icing sugar and corn flour

So recipes I've reviewed include. 

• http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2011/07/marshmallow-recipe-candymaking/
• http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/06/springy-fluffy-marshmallows/
• http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/204/marshmallows
• http://www.joyofbaking.com/candy/HomemadeMarshmallows.html
• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-marshmallows-recipe/index.html