I have been meaning to put the recipe for homemade marshmallow on here for a while, its not that anyone will want to make it, but rather that I do this recipe time and time again and I know that the Children, Rosie in particular would not be happy if I lost it.

The reason I feel that people will not want to jump up and make this is purely because working with sugar is a nightmare! If you turn your back it burns in seconds, the smell of burnt sugar is disgusting and not a smell that is easy to remove from the house. Patience is also required, watching a sugar thermometer getting to 122C seems to take a lifetime and don’t get me started on the clearing up. Gelatine and molten sugar are not easy to clean, lots of boiling water and fairy liquid are needed and burnt sugar on a saucepan is there for life!!! Many a saucepan has had to go straight in the bin over the years !

But, even though this is not for the faint hearted, the brave amongst you that wish to give this a go will be rewarded with the best tasting marshmallow you will ever of tasted. Once you have made your own there is no turning back, you will not be able to face shop brought again!

The other great thing is you can cut it to any size you like, I like large squares, but for Bonfire Night I made long finger ones that could be dipped into hot chocolate, it was heavenly.

So if you do brave this recipe, I hope it goes well and you will be rewarded with the yummiest marshmallows ever!

Buon appetito

Icing sugar, 1 tablespoon
Cornflour, 1 tablespoon
Vegetable oil for oiling tin and knife
Gelatine powder, 25g
Red food colouring 2-3 drops (optional)
2 Free-range egg whites,
Granulated sugar 500g

Equipment:
Sieve, 2 small bowls, shallow cake tin about 20cm square, measuring jug, wooden spoon, free-standing food mixer, medium heavy-based saucepan, sugar thermometer, jug, chopping board, butter knife.

Sift the icing sugar and cornflour together into a small bowl. Rub the tin lightly with just a few drops of oil and shake a little of the icing sugar mix around the tin to coat the base and sides. Set the tin to one side.

Bring the kettle almost to the boil, then measure out 125ml water. Pour it into the second small bowl and sprinkle the gelatine on top. Stir with the wooden spoon until the gelatine has all dissolved. If you want the marshmallows to be tinted the traditional pale pink, add the red food colouring to the gelatine and stir again.I don’t do this, I like to stir my chosen colour through in swirls on a cocktail stick once the marshmallow is put into the tin to set. Leave the dissolved gelatine to stand near the hob.

Stand the food mixer on the work surface near the hob. Put the egg whites into the bowl of the mixer.

Put the granulated sugar in to the medium saucepan and add 250ml water. Turn the hob on low and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has completely dissolved and you can’t see any grains left if you carefully tilt the pan. Now stop stirring. Rinse the sugar thermometer under the hot tap for a few seconds so it doesn’t get too much of a shock, then stand it in the pan. Raise the heat so the syrup comes to the boil. Meanwhile, switch on the mixer and whisk the egg whites until they’re completely stiff. Stand jug with a little hot water in it near the hob.

The sugar needs to boil fiercely until it gets to 122C – the hard-ball stage. Watch the thermometer carefully, especially in the later stages of the sugar boiling. As the sugar gets to 122C, immediately turn off the hob. Using oven gloves or a thick cloth to protect your fingers, take out the sugar thermometer and put it in the jug of water to cool down.

Pour the dissolved gelatine into the pan of syrup, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon. The syrup will bubble up a little, although not dangerously so. Stir until the mixture is well blended.

Switch the food mixer on low so that the egg whites carry on whisking. Very carefully pour the syrup on to the beating egg whites in a steady, gentle trickle – avoid pouring it on to the beaters or it will splash. You’ll see the mixture turn creamy. After you’ve poured in all the syrup, leave the machine to carry on beating until the mixture turns really thick and bulky but is still pourable. If you lift up the beaters, a ribbon of marshmallow should remain on the surface for a few seconds before sinking back down in to the mix.

Pour the marshmallow into the prepared tin. Leave it to set in a cool place, though not the fridge – this will probably take an hour or two. I like to make my late in the afternoon and leave it overnight on the side to set.

Dust the chopping board with the rest of the cornflour and icing sugar mixture. Coat the butter knife in a little oil. Carefully ease the marshmallow out of the tin on to the board, helping it our where necessary with the butter knife. Make sure the surfaces of the marshmallow are entirely dusted with the icing sugar mixture – sift over extra icing sugar and cornflour, if necessary. Cut the marshmallow into squares, oiling and dusting the knife as it needs it (probably between every cut).