Before setting out to make these marshmallows, I had only made my own homemade mallows once. It was for my toddler’s first birthday, and I found this beautiful recipe online for a purple, blueberry marshmallow. I was sold. So I spent a lot of time anxiously working through the recipe only to be not so thrilled with the results. They tasted…off. After attempting homemade marshmallows for a second time (with a different recipe) I realized that the “off” taste was the gelatin. The marshmallows I’d made before tasted like gelatin, which is not a pleasant taste.
For these marshmallows, I looked to the pros: Alton Brown and bon appétit . Then I followed the advice from The Flavor Blender and used agave instead of corn syrup and THESE MARSHMALLOWS. They’re so much better than store-bought. They’re perfectly sweet, marbled with chocolate, and much easier than I ever expected homemade marshmallows to be. I’ve since used this same recipe on two other recipe: Peppermint Hot Cocoa Brownies and Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie. It’s that good. And you don’t taste the gelatin!
For this recipe, you will need a candy thermometer. A stand mixer is also extremely helpful as the marshmallow needs to be whipped for anywhere from 5-15 minutes. I’m sure you can use a hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, but I’ve learned how much of a pain that can be. You’ll also need to use gelatin for this recipe. I buy the small boxes of powdered gelatin packets from the baking aisle at the grocery store.
And then there’s the agave. This low GI, sweet syrup is an excellent replacement for corn syrup (which is found in most marshmallow recipes and store-bought mallows). It helps keep the boiling sugar from crystalizing and keeps your marshmallows nice and smooth. For the chocolate swirl you’ll simply melt some chocolate chips and slowly (and barely!) stir that into your marshmallow fluff before pouring it into your pan to set. Don’t let this recipe intimidate you! After you make these marshmallows once, you’ll feel like a pro and you’ll be able to whip them up in no time!
Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:
Gelatin is a main ingredient and helps these marshmallows set.
White granulated sugar is the best sugar to use for this recipe as you’ll need to boil the sugar mixture to a specific temperature. I don’t recommend using raw or unrefined sugar as I don’t know how it would turn out.
Agave is a low GI, sweet syrup that perfectly replaces corn syrup (which is typically used) in this recipe. It helps keep the sugar from forming any unwanted crystals during the boiling process.
Vanilla extract adds necessary flavor to these marshmallows. You don’t want to skip it! Though you could also use peppermint extract or any other extract flavors that you like.
Powdered sugar & corn starch are used to coat the outside of each marshmallow, so the finished marshmallows don’t stick together.
Chocolate Swirl Marshmallows
Perfectly fluffy, wonderfully sweet homemade vanilla marshmallows with a swirl of semisweet chocolate. The BEST kind of marshmallows to top your favorite cup of hot cocoa!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold water, divided (1/2 cup + 1/2 cup)
- 3 packets powdered gelatin (~7 tsp)
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup agave
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup corn starch
Instructions
- Prepare a 9x13" baking dish by liberally spraying it with non-stick spray (I like to use olive oil); set aside.
- Melt your chocolate chips. Add them to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals until nearly melted, stirring between each interval. Stop heating the chips when they're nearly all melted, and then stir until all chips are totally melted; set aside to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix 1/2 cup of water with the gelatin. Leave it to thicken while you begin your sugar mixture.
- In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, agave, salt, and additional 1/2 cup of water, gently swirling the pan until all the sugar is soaked and agave is distributed around the pan. Place over medium heat for a gas range (or medium-high heat for an electric range) and bring to a boil. Boil mixture until it reaches 240°F. Immediately remove from heat.
- With your stand mixer on low, slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin. Turn the mixer to medium-high and whisk until marshmallow fluff forms. The mixture should be fluffy, white, and thick. This can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla extract (this can be done at any point in the whisking process).
- Once your marshmallow mixture has thickened, remove the bowl from your stand mixer. Immediately spoon the melted chocolate over the top of the mixture and then very gently and slowly mix or swirl the chocolate into the the marshmallow, making sure you don't over-mix as that will result in loss of the swirl.
- Gently spoon the mixture into your oiled baking dish. Quickly smooth out the top, doing your best not to mix the chocolate in - mine mixed a bit on the surface but didn't affect the swirls on the inside!
- Allow marshmallow to set out in the open, uncovered for at least four hours. If you plan to leave them overnight, go ahead with the next step, covering the top surface with the powdered sugar/corn starch mixture and covering it to keep the marshmallow from drying out (if you cover the marshmallow before powdering it, your cover will stick!).
- After about four hours, your marshmallow should be set enough to slice. Start by mixing the powdered sugar and corn starch in a small bowl. Use a sieve to powder the top of the marshmallow with the mixture.
- Use a butter knife to loosen the edges of the marshmallow, and then you should be able to pull the whole marshmallow out of the dish. Slice the marshmallow into desired pieces. Then use your hands to powder all of the sticky edges, wiping away any excess powder.
- Store marshmallows in an airtight container at room temperature. I recommend enjoying within a week.
Notes
This recipe is slightly adapted from Alton Brown and bon appétit
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