Easy Marshmallows: Honey Sweetened & All Natural

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 (from here on in we shall call them TOASTING marshmallows), 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. If you try this version in the Thermomix (use Varoma temp for the TM31), 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 much lighter, fluffier marshmallows, but they won’t toast well over a fire – don’t bother trying, they melt!! This version, in fact, becomes so light and fluffy, the mixture may reach the lid of the TM bowl and you may need to pour them into more than one dish, or a larger dish, to set! 

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 🙂

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 Jo xx

Easy Marshmallows: Honey Sweetened and All Natural

2017-03-20 09:07:01

GAPS and Paleo friendly, additive free marshmallows... that are super easy to make!

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Ingredients

1. 250g (1 cup) filtered water
2. 3 Tbsp organic gelatine powder (use a 20ml Tbsp)
3. 200g raw honey (can be reduced further if you prefer)
4. ½ tsp vanilla powder (or 1 tsp organic vanilla extract)
5. ¼ tsp sea salt
6. (For optional natural colours, and a version without vanilla, see Notes below)

Thermomix Method

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. For TOASTING marshmallows: Cook 15 mins/120C/speed 1 for TM5 (15 mins/Varoma/speed 1 for TM31), 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.) Allow mixture to cool in TM bowl to room temperature, until the temperature light does not light up on the TM (the temp is under 37C). Mix 20 mins/speed 4, slowly increasing speed from 1-4. (Keep butterfly whisk attached, and steamer basket on lid instead of MC.) The temperature of the bowl may increase to 50-60C during this time due to friction, but this is completely fine.
4. For FLUFFY marshmallows, not suitable for toasting: Cook 8 mins/50C/speed 1. Allow mixture to cool in TM bowl to room temperature, until the temperature light does not light up on the TM (the temp is under 37C), 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.
5. After mixing is finished, the TOASTING marshmallows mixture should be thick and glossy and look a little like beaten egg whites. The FLUFFY marshmallows mixture will be very light and airy. 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!)
6. Transfer the marshmallow to your lined dish, scraping from the bowl with a silicon spatula.
7. 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.)
8. 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.)
9. 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.

Conventional Method

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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!)
6. Transfer the marshmallow to the lined dish, scraping from the bowl with a silicon spatula.
7. 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.)
8. 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.)
9. 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.

Optional - Natural Colours and Coatings

1. 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.
2. You can buy natural colours like Hopper Natural Colourings.
3. Or get creative and make your own natural colours! Here's some tips for making natural food colourings.
4. 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.
5. Toss through melted chocolate and roll in coconut for yummy 'lamington marshmallows' - you can use my chocolate recipe, here.
6. Make Rocky Road for an extra special treat!! See tips below.
7. HAVE FUN!

By Quirky Cooking

Quirky Cooking https://www.quirkycooking.com.au/