Crazy about Homemade Marshmallows

My friends are beginning to worry. My family is grows more concerned each time they hear the mixer running. They long to call someone for help but all that comes out of their mouths is nommmmummm because they are stuffed with fluffy marshmallows. I made the first batch of marshmallows a few months ago and now I can’t stop. I am even turning others on to my obsession by sharing the  recipe. The vanilla marshmallows were ever so tasty but then came pink swirled peppermint, followed by mocha,chocolate-dipped, zesty lemon and orange, cocoa,  marshmallow cream, mallomar-like cookies, marshmallows shaped like ducks and pigs, and geese, and for Valentine’s Day tart and sweet raspberry marshmallow hearts. 

There are many recipes available in books and on-line for basic marshmallows but I was interested in making the type that uses egg whites and I wanted to try to make them without corn syrup.  I tried substituting golden syrup, which is made from cane sugar, and it worked perfectly.  I share the recipe below but I warn you; yo may not be able to stop making them…

Vanilla Marshmallows

Lightly spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Sugar Syrup
Place 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup water, and 1 tablespoon golden syrup in a heavy bottom pan. Heat gently and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Raise heat to medium and stop stirring. Place a candy thermometer in the pan and heat to 255 degrees.

Gelatin
In the top of a double boiler (or a bowl over a pot of water), pour 3/4 cup water. Sprinkle the contents of four envelopes of unflavored gelatin over the water and allow to stand for a few minutes.  Heat until the gelatin liquefies.

Egg Whites
In a stand mixer, beat 2 egg whites with 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar until stiff but not dry

Combine
Once the sugar syrup reaches 255 degrees, combine the warm gelatin mixture with the hot sugar syrup and pour into the beaten egg whites while beating on high.  Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Beat for about 10 minutes until the mixture begins to get very thick.  Pour mixture into the prepared pan and allow to stand at room temperature for at least three hours.

Finish
Mix 1/2 cup of confectionery sugar with 3 tablespoons corn starch.  Dust a cutting board with the mix and turn marshmallows out onto the board. Cut in strips with a sharp knife or pizza cutter and dust each cut side with the sugar and corn starch mix.  Cut the strips into pieces and dust the cut sides.  Store in an air tight container.

No-Bake Jam Jar Cheesecake

For holidays and celebrations, I love spending a day baking, filling and frosting cakes; whipping egg whites into fluffy meringue; crafting fancy cookies but sometimes you need a light and easy treat to share.  This jam layered no-bake fat-free cheesecake is simple to make and travels well.  Perfect for pot-luck suppers or community events.

1 8 oz package fat-free cream cheese
2 cups fat-free Greek style yogurt
1/2 cup reduced fat Graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons honey
2-3 teaspoons apple cider (or apple juice)
several flavors of jams or preserves
4 8 oz canning (mason)  jars and lids

Blend an 8 oz package of fat-free cream cheese with 2 cups of fat-free Greek-style yogurt.  Add 2 teaspoons of raw honey and a pinch of cinnamon to the yogurt mixture.  Mix  Graham cracker crumbs with a few teaspoons of apple cider.
Layer the Graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of each jar.  Add a layer of the cheesecake mixture and then a layer of jam.  Add another layer of cheesecake mixture and jam.  Cover jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Strawberry Mint Popsicles

The hottest days of the summer are on the way.  Now is the time to pick fresh strawberries and tuck some into the freezer for warm weather treats such as smoothies, sangria, or these delicious strawberry mint popsicles.  This unusual recipe calls for cooking the berries and sugar first to bring out the sweet jammy flavor, adding some lemonade and mint and  then cooling and freezing the mixure.   I hope you will have fun picking berries now and enjoy a delicious popsicle cool down during the hot days this summer.

Strawberry Mint Popsicles
Strawberries (about 1 quart)
1 cup lemonade or limeade
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint
Plastic popsicles molds for freezing
Hull and chop enough fresh strawberries to make 3 cups
Add 1/2 cup sugar to the berries and let stand about 5 minutes
Place in a shallow pan and cook until the berries soften and juice run freely
Add 1 cup lemonade or limeade
Allow to cool and then add mint
Place in popsicle molds and freeze

Mad for Meringues

Sometimes I get on these cooking kicks; making one type of food over and over until my family cries for mercy.  I have made about a dozen batches of meringues in the last month and so far they are just shouting for more.  Sunshine-filled citrus mini cookies, mexican chocolate hearts filled with berries and cream,  mocha mounds, vanilla bean baby Pavlovas, and lemonade flavored ducks are a few of the variations of shapes and flavors I have tried.   

Fresh farm eggs have been flying from the farmers market to the mixer to the stove at lightning speed.  The whites staring in the meringue show and the yolks making appearances in such favorites as custard tarts, creme caramel, and a gigantic batch of lemon curd. 

There are many basic recipes for meringues out there but this one has worked well for me over many batches of quality assurance crunching.

Sunshine Meringues
4 egg whites (please use fresh local eggs at room temp)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon & lime zest
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice or a mix of both
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Heat oven to 225 degrees
Cover two baking trays with parchment paper
Mix cornstarch and sugar
Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until fluffy soft peaks begin to form
Slowly add the sugar mixture to the eggs while continuing to beat briskly
Mix in the lemon juice and zest
Use a small cookie scoop to place mounds of meringue on the baking trays or fill a pastry bag and pipe out little dollops
Bake for an hour until crisp outside keeping the oven closed 
Shut off the oven but leave the oven light on and the door closed for three hours
The meringues are now ready to eat or store in a air-tight container