Toasted marshmallows

I loved school holidays because my sister and I would always entertain ourselves by cooking in the kitchen. I remember the first time we discovered how to make marshmallows and had a go at them before a big bonfire night.

Credit: Adam Liaw

• serves

  10

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 125 g caster sugar
• 375 g powdered dextrose (see Note)
• 250 g liquid glucose
• 250 g egg whites (about 6-7 eggs), at room temperature
• 30 g gold-strength gelatine leaves (about 13 leaves)

Chilling time: 4 hours

Instructions

1. Line a deep baking tray with baking paper, then spray with oil. Place the sugar, dextrose and 185 ml water into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and dextrose. Add the glucose and simmer until the syrup reaches 140ºC on a sugar thermometer.
2. While the syrup is coming to temperature, place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and start whisking until soft peaks form. When the syrup reaches temperature, slowly pour into the egg whites down the side of the bowl. Increase the heat to high and whisk until all the syrup if fully incorporated.
3. Meanwhile, add the soaked the gelatine leaves to the pan that you cooked the syrup in and the residual heat will melt the leaves.
4. When all the sugar syrup has been added, add the gelatine and whisk for another 4–5 minutes. Pour the mixture into the lined tray, stand until set, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. Using a hot damp knife, cut the set marshmallow into squares. Toast over a log fire or with a blow torch. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Dextrose is available from specialist food stores but you can substitute with caster sugar.

• It’s best to use fresh egg whites for this recipe instead of egg whites from a carton.

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.