Maple marshmallows are on the plate in autumn. They contain his scents, encourage creativity, spending time in the circle of our loved ones and gently bring the magical atmosphere of the upcoming holiday season into our homes. This sweet treat is perfectly fluffy, pleasantly gooey and melts on the tongue. Homemade fresh marshmallows offer a completely different taste experience than those bought. Will you try them with us?
The joy of creating and the opportunity to be together
Marshmallows, or marshmallows if you prefer, are definitely not something we indulge in regularly. But when we get into them, we really enjoy it. They go well with hot chocolate sipped on cold autumn and winter evenings, and the cheerful process of making them is perfect for those long Christmas mornings when the whole family gets together. Children love both ready-made goodies and watching their production, when the ingredients first bubble nicely in the pot, their color gradually changes, the liquid then turns into a fluffy foam, which eventually turns into delicious sweet marshmallows.
In short, making homemade marshmallows is something more, it is a warm tradition that forces us to slow down, enjoy every part of the process and enjoy moments of well-being.
How to make homemade vegan marshmallows
Although the production of this delicacy is actually quite simple, it requires a little prior knowledge.
We will be working with something called aquafaba. Which, after all, is just another word for canned legume pickle. Chickpea water is usually used, but water from canned beans works great too. Aquafaba behaves like egg white, so you'll find it in lots of veggie recipes. It's a great all-rounder and if you're hearing about it for the first time, drop all preconceptions and definitely give it a try.
Before cooking, it is useful to have all the ingredients pre-weighed and the necessary utensils ready. The procedure requires a few faster or continuous actions and it's good to have everything handy.
A kitchen thermometer is a great helper that really simplifies production. We will heat the maple syrup to a temperature between 114-120°C. Which also brings us to the fact that although children love marshmallows and making them, they should only participate in this phase from afar.
And a mention of the agar we will use. Usually, water and agar should be boiled for a full minute. So the mass will start to solidify while still in the saucepan. But we don't want that when making marshmallows. We want it to start to set, only when mixed with the other ingredients. This is simply achieved by removing the water from the heat as soon as the first bubbles start to appear in the water with the agar. Thus, the agar will be activated, but it will only start to solidify when mixed with the rest of the ingredients.
Homemade marshmallows can be roasted and melt beautifully in hot drinks. So, if you like to treat yourself to this treat warmed on the fire or decorate your hot chocolate with it, feel free to do it! But be prepared for the fact that they melt faster than the purchased ones.
And the most important thing in the end... although the description of the production may sound very complicated, the opposite is true. It's a lot easier than it looks! Just follow the amount of ingredients and prepare everything in advance. And then just enjoy the pleasure that fresh homemade marshmallows bring. Trust us, it's worth it!
What does it take?
- 310ml of maple syrup
- 120ml aquafaba (pickle from canned chickpeas or beans)
- 125ml of water
- 2 teaspoons of agar
- Half a teaspoon of xanthan gum or half a teaspoon of guarana gum
- Half a teaspoon of lemon juice
- Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract (make your own and get ready for Christmas -here)
- 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar
- A tiny pinch of finely ground Himalayan salt
- Kuzu starch or finely ground tapioca or potato starch to pour into the mold
- Shredded coconut, dry roasted (optional)
And it will also come in handy…
- Baking pan or silicone mold (about 30x20cm, but it depends on how big you want the marshmallows to be)
- Baking paper (you can skip it and lightly wipe the baking pan with coconut oil before pouring)
- Beater, mixer or food processor
- A large bowl (or food processor bowl) and two saucepans
- A kitchen thermometer
How to do it?
Weigh all the ingredients and prepare the utensils. Line the selected baking pan or mold with baking paper and sprinkle generously with starch so that the entire bottom is covered.
Pour the agar into one saucepan, cover it with water and let it bubble.
In a large bowl (or mixer bowl) pour the aquafaba, lemon juice, sprinkle with xanthan or guar gum and beat for about 3 minutes until fluffy (like whipped egg whites), then add the sugar and beat until stiff, dense and shiny.
In the second saucepan, mix the maple syrup and vanilla extract and bring to a boil. Place a thermometer in the liquid and keep an eye on it. Once the mixture reaches a temperature between 115-200°C, remove from the heat, turn the beater back on and gradually whisk the hot liquid into the prepared snow.
Now it's time to bring the agar and water to a boil. As soon as you see the first bubbles, remove it from the heat, stir for about 20 seconds (the mixture will thicken, but it will not start to solidify). If you turned off the beater, turn it on. Keep stirring the agar and pour it into the whipped mass. Then add a pinch of salt to it and beat until the mixture cools down. This will take about 5-10 minutes.
Then pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish or mold, smooth it with a lightly oiled spoon or spatula, sprinkle generously with starch and let it harden for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
When the mass is stiff, cut it into squares with a knife dusted with starch. Various gingerbread molds or cutters can also be used, but always sprinkle them with starch so that the material does not stick to them. Wrap individual marshmallows in toasted coconut or sprinkle them with starch on all sides. If you want them really sweet, you can mix starch or coconut with powdered sugar.
Store the marshmallows in the fridge and chop them within 3 days. If you would like to keep them for a longer period of time, shove them in a bag and die. It will last at least 3 months in the freezer.
Will you indulge in this goodness with us?
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