Cooking For Engineers

[Whizz bang]

Hey I just discovered your great site when I as looking to remedy a potential marshmallow issue. I made some divine passionfruit marshmallows using the hot sugar syrup/ gelatine method. The mixtures separated while cooling leaving a thin layer of passionfruit flavoured gel on the bottom of the marshmallow. This has actually made them better and very attactive on a dessert plate - but why did it happen?

And now for my main question to any clever food engineers /molecular gatronomists out there.

How could I achieve a product with the texture of marsmallows without using sugar - I though it could be fun to try and create say, a tomato flavoured marshallow?? Any ideas?

[Brandy]

So, I don't know what I did, but I do know it was BAD!

I let the syrup mixture get to 260 (from another recipe) and when I poured it in, it just formed a big ball of sugar candy.

Was it too hot? Is there something else I could have done wrong?

[Lintballoon]

For you vegetarians, and other interested people, I have done some digging around looking for actual marshmallow sap.
Couldn't find it.
But I did find dried, powdered marshmallow root, which I think you could use to make the sap. I haven't tried it yet (yet being the operative word) but you can buy the stuff here:
http://www.herbalremedies.com/marshmallow.html
Be warned, the site is primarily concerned with herbal remedies and health problems, but I see no reason you couldn't use the stuff simply for food reasons. Plus maybe it would help if you had a sore throat.
Maybe I'll serve them at my next cigar and screaming party...

[Guest]

Has anyone tried making Elizabeth Falkner's marshmallow recipe with xanthan gum instead of gelatin from Demolition Desserts? I attempted it and ended up with some delicious marshmallow creme. I was just wondering if someone has had success with this recipe before I try again.

[mary-ellen]

My first batch of marshmallows was amazing, but the batch I made today behaved differently.

While in the mixer it seemed to be fluffing up just right, then at about 11 - 12 minutes it began to deflate. I turned it off right away, and it was gooeyer than the other batch.

The only things that were different, was this time I didn't stir the corn syrup, sugar mixture (my first recipe omitted that instruction), and it's humid and raining here today.

I'm hoping they'll turn out anyhow, but any ideas why they would begin to deflate. I used Ina's no egg white recipe.

Thanks for any help.

[Swiss Alps]

Between not having corn syrup, but finding other recipes with Cream of Tartar, with or without egg whites, and originally trying the recipe with agar, (big failure)
Then it went like this,
recipe as per the one on this website, just added one large tablespoon of light golden syrup in stead of corn syrup.
Added 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar, boiled it up like it says.
Added it to the gelatin, whipped it up, added the salt, and suddenly the mix climbed up the beaters, so had to work fast to get the vanilla in, and on the side had beaten one egg white (2 would work as well) folded those in and voila, the mix tasted delicious, so now we need to see how they set and cut later on, but so far, it's looking good and tasted creamy, not too sweet, vanilla is lovely, and it will remain to be seen what the set texture is like.

Bravo, and keep on keeping on with Marshmallow.

A real simple recipe to put on top of a passionfruit slice is simply disolve 1 dessert spoon of gelatin in 1/2 cup of hot water, beat 1 egg white separately with 1/2 cup of sugar, then slowly add the gelatin solution, mix well, and pour over the slice, allow to set and then sprinkle on toasted grated coconut !

[Monica]

Has anyone tried substituting agave nectar for the corn syrup? I want to avoid using corn syrup. I made homemade graham crackers and they are wonderful for smores. Homemade marshmallows sound really good too.

[alice at angel food]

[JaneK]

I have been dying to make marshmallows, but do not use gelatin. I found an alternative called MaryJanes ChillOver Powder Gelatin Alternative. You can order it from www.maryjanesfarm.org. I have not ordered this yet, but I am going to, and I will post my results once I have them.

[Guest]

I'v been wondering, how long is the mixture gonna take before it fluffs? I'v been trying to fluff it for 2 hours

[Michael Chu]

[MommaBlogger]

I made these last night, and forgot to pay attention to the time. It didn't seem like they "fluffed" like I expected, then I realized I was expecting them to behave like egg whites. After checking the picture, I realized I was just fine. I just let it go until it stopped getting bigger and looked like it was a good consistency.

For someone who has never made a sugar solution like that, and has never made anything even remotely close to marshmallows, this was incredibly easy, and the little marshmallows are so cute. I will definitely make this again, soon. I'm making graham crackers at the moment to go with these little treats, and I'm sure my kids will be thrilled.

I should have a post up on my blog about it later today.

http://homemakersguidetothegalaxy.blogspot.com

[Ann]

when i was younger i remember one of my classmates proudly bringing in home made marshmallows, they were so good!

i think they rolled them in kool aid, not sure but i cannot tell you how good they were....

i have access to mexican "kool aid" great flavors~ mango, pineapple, strawberry... how do you think this would turn out?

also... a few years ago a lady gave me a piece of home made marshmallow with a home made caramel on the inside, anyone have any ideas how to make any of these?

[AJMOM]

DOES ANYONE KNOW A BRAND OF CORN SYRUP IN THE USA THAT I CAN GET WITHOUT HIGH FRUCTORE CORN SYRUP IN IT? (AND WHERE I CAN BUY IT?) I WANT TO MAKE THESE BUT I DO NOT WANT TO USE HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. I READ THROUGH ALL THE THREADS AND HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT FOR A BEGINNER I REALLY NEED TO USE CORN SYRUP TO GET A DECENT RESULT (WHICH BY 4 YEAR OLD AND 1 YEAR OLD WILL BE EAGERLY WIATING FOR!) BUT I JUST CAN NOT BRING MYSELF TO BUT THE KARO BRAND WHICH LISTS HFCS AS THE 2ND INGREDIENT.
THANKS

[Guest]

Has anyone tried using xanthum gum instead. If it does work, is is possible to post the amount used together with the instructions please.
Thank you very much.