Easy Marshmallows: Honey Sweetened & All Natural
Caramel Macadamia Cupcakes
January 22, 2017
Life-Changing Food: The New Cookbook from Quirky Cooking
April 7, 2017
Gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, additive free, naturally sweetened marshmallows!
The other day I decided I really should work out a Thermomix version of honey-sweetened marshmallows to share with my Quirky Cooking for Gut Health Program members for Easter. They’ve been asking for a GAPS-friendly marshmallow recipe for a while! I have made honey-sweetened marshmallows before, but the recipes weren’t designed for the Thermomix, and I wanted a super easy ‘chuck it all in’ method, because that’s my preferred way to cook. 😀
Guess what? It worked!!!! Yahooooooo!!
Marshmallows coated in coconut, with beetroot powder for pink colouring
Honey-Sweetened Marshmallow coloured with beetroot powder
In my excitement I made the mistake of posting a video on Facebook before I’d finished testing, and got bombarded with frantic pleas for the recipe so I thought I’d better get cracking and test it properly, then get it up on the blog!! I worked madly yesterday and I’m so happy with it.
Homemade, honey-sweetened, dairy free Rocky Road
After a day or so of testing, I have marshmallows coming out of my ears… which may not be such a good idea, as I try to keep the sweet stuff to a minimum around here, or save them for special treats! So some are going into the freezer (maybe if I hide them really well, they’ll last ’til Easter???); and some are being given away. Although I must admit, I kept the rocky road close by.
I didn’t think I really cared that much for rocky road. Until I made this one. Then I was like, “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE???” (I may need intervention. But not yet, wait til this jar is finished, ok?)
This rocky road is chock-a-block full of marshmallows, pecans, macadamias, cashews, almonds, currants, and Inca berries!
Cutting up the marshmallows – kitchen scissors are the easiest way
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Ok, before you ask, here’s some answers to the questions I know you are busting to ask:
- Yes, you can make them without a Thermomix (see conventional method in recipe)
- Yes, the ingredients are very simple – just water, gelatine, honey, vanilla and salt! (Make sure you use a good quality gelatine – I use the Changing Habits 100% organic gelatine available here)
- Yes, you can reduce the honey to taste, although the less you use, the less the marshmallows stand up to heat (e.g. if you’re wanting to toast them over the fire)
- Yes, you can use other sweeteners like maple syrup, rice malt syrup, or coconut nectar, although rice malt syrup and coconut nectar seem to give a heavier result and sometimes separate. I don’t think stevia or xylitol would work, sorry.
- Yes, they hold their shape in the fridge and don’t go soggy (in fact they are better after a day in the fridge!)
- Yes, they freeze well, and can be eaten straight from the freezer because they don’t go hard (although they are very chewy straight from the freezer… which is kinda fun!); but if you let them thaw out they will go back to being their soft, fluffy, original selves.
- Yes, they can be toasted over the fire, as long as you give them a bit of time to dry out after you cut them up, and don’t hold them over the fire tooooooo long – just brown them quickly then eat them! See update below re toasting. (And see my video of testing the toasting here)
- Yes, they are perfect in hot chocolate (I tested it for you. Tough job but someone’s got to do it.)
- Yes, they are awesome in rocky road with my dairy free chocolate (I also tested that for you – so kind of me, I know! See my rocky road tips below.)
- Yes, you can roll them in coconut and it sticks well. And since they also hold their shape well, I’m sure they’ll work for bunny molds. 😀
- No, you can’t double the recipe in the Thermomix! It will overflow. (Think sticky mess everywhere…) Please don’t try it!
- And I’m sorry to have to break the news, but agar does NOT work in this recipe instead of gelatine. Vanessa tried it out for us, and said “Agar foams, it doesn’t set like marshmallow regardless of how much agar you use. The result is a thickish foamy air in your mouth…kind of like eating bubble bath!” So yeah, maybe not. :/
UPDATE!! We have continued trying out different versions of this recipe, and have made these discoveries:
- To get best results for marshmallows that can be toasted over a fire, you will need to go with the original recipe I posted, which is option 1 below. The higher temps thicken the mixture, resulting in more ‘hardy’ marshmallows. NOTE: A few people have had the mixture bubble up onto the lid at these temperatures in the TM31 as the bowl is smaller, so I removed that option. If you try this version in the Thermomix, stay close by and keep an eye on it, and stop it immediately if it does bubble up. Leave for half a minute to cool, then continue cooking. OR do the stovetop method for the first step, cool slightly, pour into Thermomix, and continue with recipe.
- For FLUFFY marshmallows to eat ‘as is’, you don’t actually have to get the temperature to above boiling. Use the method in the recipe below. You’ll actually end up with lighter, fluffier marshmallows, but they won’t toast well over a fire – don’t bother trying, they melt!!
Ahhh… hot chocolate with marshmallows
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Feel free to share your marshmallow creations with us in my Facebook Chat Group, or on my Facebook page! We’d love to see them. And if you try any variations, please share your results!! Thank you 🙂
(Also, please forgive me for taking A..L..L D..A..Y….. to get this recipe up – I know some of you were sitting at your computers waiting… Lol! It’s one of the joys in living in the middle of nowhere. The scenery is beautiful, but we have ridiculously slow internet sometimes. ARGH! It wouldn’t let me load the recipe for hours! Anyway, done now – phew!)
Ok, enough chit chat – here’s the recipe! I’ve included some tips for natural colourings and coatings in the Notes on the recipe, and below the recipe are some tips for making Rocky Road. Enjoy!
Love from me xx
- 250g (1 cup) filtered water
- 3 Tbsp organic gelatine powder (use a 20ml Tbsp)
- 200g raw honey (can be reduced further if you prefer)
- ½ tsp vanilla powder (or 1 tsp organic vanilla extract)
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- (For optional natural colours, and a version without vanilla, see Notes below)
- Grease a 20 x 20 cm dish with a little oil (I use coconut oil), and line with unbleached parchment paper. Leave some paper sticking up above sides so it's easy to pull out once set.
- Weigh water into Thermomix bowl, and carefully sprinkle in gelatine powder so that it sits on the surface of the water (not on the blades). Let it sit for a couple of minutes to soften, then add remaining ingredients, and insert butterfly whisk. Place steamer basket onto lid instead of MC, so steam can escape.
- For marshmallows suitable for toasting over a fire: Cook 15 mins/120C/speed 1 for TM5, or cook using stovetop method below then pour slightly cooled mixture into Thermomix bowl. (If you want to add any colours, add to bowl at the end of cooking time.) Mix 20 mins/speed 4, slowly increasing speed from 1-4. (Keep butterfly whisk attached, and steamer basket on lid instead of MC.)
- For quick, light, fluffy marshmallows, not suitable for toasting: Cook for 8 mins/50C/speed 1; then mix 12 mins/speed 4. (Keep butterfly whisk attached, and steamer basket on lid instead of MC.) This version is very 'airy' and will melt quickly if heated.
- After mixing is finished, the mixture should be thick and glossy and look a little like beaten egg whites. Carefully remove the butterfly and check that the mixture makes 'soft peaks'. If it's not thick enough, replace butterfly and whisk another 5 mins/speed 4. (The main reason marshmallows separate or are very dense is because they haven't had enough air whisked into them - so make sure they're well whisked!)
- Transfer the marshmallow to your lined dish, scraping from the bowl with a silicon spatula.
- Place into fridge uncovered for at least 1 hour (preferably longer), until set very firm. You might have to hide it at the back so curious fingers don't get into it! (Note: I say 1 hour because I know you can't wait to try them, but they are actually best after a few hours or overnight in the fridge, as they dry out a little more and are easier to cut up.)
- Pull paper up to remove marshmallow from dish. Cut into squares using kitchen scissors, and place them onto a tray to dry out for a while. (This is especially important if you want to toast them over a fire - the outside needs to by dry, or they'll melt too quickly!) Alternatively, toss through coatings like coloured coconut, or homemade chocolate. (See Notes below.)
- Store in fridge in airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. They don't freeze hard and can be eaten straight out of the freezer, but they will be VERY chewy (which is kind of fun!), or if you thaw them out, they will go back to their fluffy and delicious original selves.
- Grease a 20 x 20 cm dish with a little oil (I use coconut oil), and line with unbleached parchment paper. Leave some paper sticking up above sides so it's easy to pull out once set.
- Place 1/2 a cup of the water into a medium bowl (or in the bowl of a mixer), and sprinkle the gelatine over the water. Set aside to soften.
- In a small saucepan, place honey, salt, and the remaining 1/2 cup of water. Heat over medium heat, stirring. Using a candy thermometer, bring the mixture to 115C. (Or you can test it by dribbling a little of the liquid into a cup of cold water, and it's ready when it forms little soft balls in the cool water.) It will take about 7-8 minutes to reach this temperature. Remove from heat.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer on low speed, begin mixing the gelatine and water mixture. Very slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the gelatine mixture, drizzling it down the inside of the bowl.
- Once it’s all combined, add the vanilla and increase speed to high. Beat for 12-15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and fluffy, and peaks like beaten egg whites when mixer attachment is lifted out. (The main reason marshmallows separate or are very dense is because they haven't had enough air whisked into them - so make sure they're well whisked!)
- Transfer the marshmallow to the lined dish, scraping from the bowl with a silicon spatula.
- Place into fridge uncovered for at least 1 hour (preferably longer), until set very firm. You might have to hide it at the back so curious fingers don't get into it! (Note: I say 1 hour because I know you can't wait to try them, but they are actually best after a few hours or overnight in the fridge, as they dry out a little more and are easier to cut up.)
- Pull paper up to remove marshmallow from dish. Cut into squares using kitchen scissors, and place them onto a tray to dry out for a while. (This is especially important if you want to toast them over a fire - the outside needs to by dry, or they'll melt too quickly!) Alternatively, toss through coatings like coloured coconut, or homemade chocolate. (See Notes below.)
- Store in fridge in airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. They don't freeze hard and can be eaten straight out of the freezer, but they will be VERY chewy (which is kind of fun!), or if you thaw them out, they will go back to their fluffy and delicious original selves.
- For a bit of fun, add a few drops of natural colour at the beginning of the whisking time, or add some colour to desiccated coconut, and toss the marshmallows through to coat.
- You can buy natural colours like Hopper Natural Colourings.
- Or get creative and make your own natural colours! Here's some tips for making natural food colourings.
- Another option is to add powdered colours. I used 1 tsp beetroot powder in the pink marshmallows, and it made them taste amazing! I also tossed it through the coconut for pink coconut. My friend Love-Lee Cooking makes her own beetroot powder by drying paper thin slices of beetroot in a dehydrator for a couple of days, then grinding in the Thermomix to make powder.
- Toss through melted chocolate and roll in coconut for yummy 'lamington marshmallows' - you can use my chocolate recipe, here.
- Make Rocky Road for an extra special treat!! See tips below.
- HAVE FUN!
- Make my Dairy Free Chocolate recipe, except reduce honey to 30-50g. Or if you have our new cookbook, Life-Changing Food, use the dairy free Nutty Chocolate recipe from that – sooooooo creamy and delicious!
- Chop 100g each of pink and white marshmallows roughly into 1-2cm pieces. Place into a large bowl.
- Add 100g each macadamias, pecans and cashews (or whatever nuts and seeds you like – for a nut free version use seeds and coconut flakes).
- Add 100g or so of dried fruit – I used currants and Inca berries.
- Pour chocolate into bowl and mix well, then pour into a rectangular dish lined with baking paper.
- Pop into the freezer until set, then chop roughly on a cutting board.
- Store in jars or bags in fridge or freezer. (I won’t bother saying how long because it won’t last that long anyway.) 😉
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68 Comments
Thank you for sharing this! Am going to try them with Tumeric White Chocolate Latte Powder tomorrow to get the yellow colour and red velvet choc powder to get the pink (coloured with Beetroot)
Would regular shop gelintine work? As that is all I have in the cupboard, if not I’ll go hunting around. Thank you.
Ooooh sounds great! And yes, regular gelatine should work fine too. 🙂
Where did you buy that cup 😲😃
Ha ha, I’m not sure, it’s my daughter’s! She has quite a mug collection!
I can’t wait to try this, I got some bunny moulds a few months ago in preparation for Easter so the timing is perfect, thanks 😀
Woo hoo, let us know how you go!
Hi,
I can’t wait to try this. I don’t have a Thermomix though so I’m just wondering if you know how much 300g of honey is in cup measurements??
Thanks in advance
It’s about 2/3 of a cup. 🙂
You are something else Miss Jo!! Love this love you! Why does my roomie live so far away?! K xx
Nawww, miss you Kimmy!!! xxx
I can’t beleive I’m excited about making marshmellows. In the thermie now. Thanks Jo.
YAY!!
Agar foams, however, it doesn’t set like marshmallow regardless of how much agar you use. The result is a thickish foamy air in your mouth…kind of like eating bubble bath! I used rosewater for flavour and the foam was”pretty” to eat but I can’t say it is a crowd pleaser!
Ah thank you for trying it for us!!! I will update the blog post! (Sorry it didn’t work) x
Would this work using xylitol or a low carb sweetener?
I’m not sure – I think you may be best off making a syrup with the xylitol (with xylitol and water) then add to taste. Need to try it!
I have discovered that when you add xylitol to water, to make a syrup, that the xylitol actually crystalizes in the water. It looks pretty but doesn’t work. Have discovered that it does the same to jam too.
Made the marshmallows today before work whilst getting 2 kids ready for school- it’s that easy! Didn’t have honey so just used the rest of some agave nectar, about 230 g. Whipped for the extra 5 minutes, then 3 minutes more in Thermomix to get soft peaks. Wish I could attach a photo because I’m so pleased with myself! Thanks for a great recipe!
Oh that’s awesome!! Enjoy xx
I used Agar and it hasn’t worked. I’ve just read the comments to see that it’s not successful (sad face!!!). Trying to work out what to do with the “marshmallow” now.
So, I made “LCM” bars with it, but oh my goodness, so, so sticky! Not quite the result I’d been hoping for, but I’ll buy some gelatine and try again.
Oh 🙁 I wonder if you can melt it down and use it as ‘icing’ on a cake?
Hi Jo, do you think this would work ok with maple syrup instead of honey? thanks!
It does!
Does this work with great lakes?
Yes!
Hi Jo, I attended one of your cooking demo’s in Sydney but have misplaced my copy of the recipes. I have also ordered the cookbook but imagine i will not get my copy before Easter. Are you able to provide your Nutty chocolate recipe please!!! I would love to use the recipe for rocky road. Kerrie Campbell
Yes for sure! Just email us at [email protected].
Hi Jo!
Excited to try this one!
Just wondering if I could use gelatine sheets? If so, how many and what’s the process?
Thank you!
Nadine
Hi Nadine, I haven’t tried gelatine sheets, but here’s some tips I found online:
Powdered and leaf gelatine are usually interchangeable, but for best results try to use the type specified in the recipe. As a general rule, two gelatine leaves is equivalent to one teaspoon of powdered gelatine. Whichever you choose, remember it must be fully dissolved — follow the recipe or packet instructions.
Hi Jo. Do they always stay sticky? I’ve left mine out to dry but they’re still sticky. And apparently they’re a bit bitter, would that be because there’s too much vanilla in?
Thanks for all the great recipes!
Mine are definitely not sticky – how long did you leave them in the fridge? I’m not sure about bitterness, I guess it could be vanilla? Depending on the kind you use…
I left them overnight. Will definitely try again, everybody raved about them, even if they were sticky.
They worked beautifully!!! But it’s set so perfectly after a few hours in the fridge that the toasted coconut won’t stick to it…. any ideas how to get it to stick? Thanks again Jo!!
Ah that’s annoying!! I think I tossed mine in coconut after only an hour, I should’ve mentioned that!! I wonder if you sit them somewhere warmish if they’ll get a bit sticky and then coconut will stay on? Next time what you can do is put a layer of coconut in the bottom of the dish, pour in the marshmallow, then sprinkle it over the top – that’s how some people do it. Just doesn’t cover the whole marshmallow once cut, though.
Thanks Jo, I left it out for a while to try and recoat and it still wouldn’t stick but all good just have to make another batch!! 😜 This ones almost gone as it is, will also try less sugar as I found it pretty sweet!!
[…] The very clever Jo Whitton from Quirky Cooking has just come out with this yummy, all natural, honey-sweetened marshmallow recipe just in time for Easter. It’s so easy to make and relatively inexpensive too. Try out some different flavourings and have fun! Get the recipe here. […]
mine did not work I’m just wondering if you are meant to still have heat with the second mix of 20 min
No Paula, the second mix is just to beat the air into it. Try melting them back down if you like, and add another Tbsp of gelatine, melt it through (on say 50C), then rewhip. See if that works. I’m not sure if all gelatine’s are as strong as the one I used. Also, what sweetener did you use? Honey seems to work best.
thanks for your reply 🙂 I am on a FODMAP diet so I used maple syrup and I uses the Great Lakes red gelatine
Has anyone tried a vegetarian substitute for the gelatine successfully? 😬
Yes and it doesn’t work, sadly! See notes on blog post.
Mine will not get fluffy!? Whisked it an extra 20min, chilled, whisked again, still runny?. Used “Genson water” (alkaline,) would that affect the result? Tks
Hi Annie, I don’t think the water should affect it – what version did you make? There are so many variables it’s hard to say. I haven’t had a failed batch yet and have made it heaps of times, many different ways… did you use honey? What temp did you cook at? Thermomix or stovetop?
Thermomix method, low temperature, raw honey and Great Lakes gelatin (everything exactly as recipe) . Will try again. Thank you.
Hi, mine haven’t worked either. I followed the ‘not for toasting’ recipe. I can’t get them to whip up at all.
Let Gelatin soak, cooked for 8mins, whipped for over 20 mins now and still just runny, like water.
What have I done wrong?
This happened to me as well. I used tm5 .fluffy version in 50 degrees all from recipe and didn’t work
I have an old TM that doesn’t do 120 degrees. Do I use varoma instead? Also with the light fluffy version is the second step 12min/speed 4 at 50 dregrees or zero degrees??
Hi Fiona, I used Varoma in the TM31 successfully, but some people had the mixture bubble up, so I removed the instructions for that and suggested using stovetop method for the first bit of the recipe if you have a TM31. But it’s up to you – if you keep a close eye on it, it should be fine. Or you could make the ‘fluffy marshmallows’ version if you’re not going to be toasting them – that works in either TM5 or TM31!
I’ve just made the fluffy marshmallows about 2hrs ago and the texture is great, the flavour of the honey seems quite overpowering though. Do you know anything I could add that would tone down that flavour? does it have to be raw honey? I also used tap water instead of filtered.
Hi Jo, I am thinking of trying the gelatine you use, I previously had one which had quite a strong meaty taste. Is the one you use nice? Thanks.
Hi there, just wondering if anyone used this as a cupcake frosting..?
Hi, tried this recipe today and all looked wonderful but when i pulled the marshmallow off the paper, it had a thick layer of jelly on the bottom! The top part was thin but tasted great! Any clue why this didn’t work for me? Thanks 🙂 x
Hey Jo, i just tried out this recipe in my TM5. i used maple syrup and it didn’t get fluffy – no peaks 🙁 i tried cookg and whisking again for longer … Anyways it’s still yum. It did separate though and more crossed between a marshmallow and a gummy 😉
Hi Jo, I made this today but somehow the gelatin sets on the bottom of the marshmallow. Do you know why? Thank you
Ahhh I just tried this
It was marshmallow on top n jelly stuff on the bottom … going to give it another go.. any advice ?? So keen for this xxxx
Just made the rocky road and found that the marshmallows started to melt when I poured the chocolate in. I used your nutty choloclate recipe. I guess I should have waited a little while?
Also as I’ve made the rocky road, will that keep as you said that the marshmallow only kept for 3 days. I guess maybe freeze the roacky road as well??
How much can you reduce the honey by to still get a good result? Thanks!
I did exactly like recipe said and they didn’t work 🙁
It’s all very liquid consistency
Hi Jo,
Just want to say thank you for sharing the marshmallow and rocky road recipe and to many more recipes you’ve shared with us… Thank you.
It’s now my 2nd time to make the marshmallow and I’m sure will be a staple sweets to the Anderson’s house from now on (smiley face);
I have reduced the honey to 120g and used the organic red beet powder to colour it.
I agree to your sentiments on the rocky road, “where have you’ve been all my life?” may I add ” I’ll never let you go now that I have you” hahaha
Grace
Yay! Made this today, however mine has a kind of “gummi” layer along the bottom 😬 any tips?
We went away for the Easter holidays and I made this using the conventional method, worked great and everyone loved the marshmallow especially my Dad. Fast forward to today, camping on the weekend so thought I’d whip up a batch for the kids using my TM31, cooked it at 100c, after the specified whipping time still really runny so kept going, ended up taking about an extra 30-35 minutes to get it to a thick consistency and still wasn’t as far as I would have liked but thankfully I didn’t give up. Pretty sure it will taste just as good.
Hi Jo,
Thanks so much for this recipie!
I didn’t have any gelatine powder unfortunately only organic leaf gelatine, so I ended up using the sheets and I chopped them up. I used 4 sheets but it’s not fluffing up in my TM31 at all.
Do you think the gelatine sheets are the problem perhaps? Many thanks, LJ
Sorry for the silly question… but is there a honey available that doesn’t have such a strong flavour?
I just made these as a tester for marshmallow fondant and the honey flavour is intense… admittedly I used an Aldi honey so not my more fancy ones but just thought I’d ask if there were any tips for honey that is not to overpowering…
Help!
I am having trouble, and I don’t know why! I could not achieve soft peaks, and I think I did an extra 20 minutes of butterfly. I eventually added more gelatin (after reading an above comment) which helped a little, but still pretty runny. I gave up and stuck it in the fridge anyway, and it firmed up well but is very dense. Not sure what I may have done wrong? Is the basket on top supposed to have the lid on or off? I feel like I didn’t need the extra gelatin, but it definitely was not fluffing into soft peaks 🙁
I’ve done something wrong!! My marshmellow isn’t able to be spread into the pan…it’s too sticky and fluffy! The gelatin…not four standard tablespoons??