Homemade marshmallows are one of the easiest treats to make – and are far superior in every way to the store bought variety!
You need only a handful of easy-to-grab ingredients to make a basic vanilla marshmallow, and you’ll never go back once you try them!
As the base is so simple to make, we created a “root beer float” version by flavoring half the mixture with a scraped vanilla bean, and the other half with root beer extract (you’ll find this either on-line or in the baking aisle, alongside the vanilla extract).
Maraschino cherry purely optional!
Root Beer Float Marshmallows:
- 1 cup cold water, divided
- 3 packets unflavored gelatin
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- Pinch of salt
- 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon root beer concentrate
- Confectioner’s sugar
Cut two 9” x 9” squares of wax or parchment paper. Grease a 9” square baking pan, place one of the squares in the bottom and grease again.
Place 1/2 cup of the water into the bowl of a stand mixer; sprinkle the gelatin over.
Place the remaining 1/2 cup of water, along with the granulated sugar and corn syrup, into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Once boiling, cover and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, attach a thermometer and cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees. Remove from heat.
Using the whisk attachment, begin whisking on low speed, slowly pouring the sugar mixture in. Continue whisking and gradually raising the speed to high as the mixture thickens. Beat for 5 minutes. Have a medium bowl and a greased rubber spatula ready.
Transfer half the marshmallow to your bowl. Scrape the seeds from your vanilla bean into the marshmallow in the mixer and beat just till blended. Use your rubber spatula to transfer to your prepared pan. Work quickly, using clean greased hands or a greased angled spatula, to spread evenly into the pan.
Return the reserved marshmallow to your mixer and add the root beer concentrate. Beat on high just till blended and pour over the vanilla marshmallow, spreading till even. Grease your second square of parchment paper and place – greased side down – over the marshmallow. Let set overnight.
Cover a worksurface with confectioner’s sugar and place some more sugar in a bowl. Remove the paper from the marshmallow and invert onto your worksurface. Sprinkle the top with additional sugar. Use a greased knife to cut into 64 squares. Toss marshmallows – a few at a time – into the bowl of sugar, coating the sides. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
