STRAWBERRY JAM MARSHMALLOWS YO. There’s something about these that just really makes my skirt fly up, as the pioneer woman would blog. Jam, for me, is such a nostalgic, comforting ingredient to use I just love anything that has ‘jam’ in the title. It’s the home-made-ness of it, I guess. Jam is a home food, not a restaurant food.
So the idea of taking a homey, friendly ingredient like jam and smashing it together with the old school, yet very trendy and somewhat high-tech idea of making marshmallows, it just makes me happy.
This particular marshmallow recipe is THE BEST – so soft, so spongy, so delicious. They contain egg whites, which gives a much lighter end result, a better texture, and a more pure flavour than a straight gelatin marshmallow. I also think they’re harder to screw up.
I won’t lie, marshmallow making requires some gear, and a little finesse. You need a sugar thermometer, and ideally you would have a standing mixer as well. Don’t be intimidated though. The actual steps are super easy, you just need to go slow, be methodical and before you know it you will be looking at a giant jigally pan of marshies.
The jam flavouring is such an easy way to customise the basic vanilla marshmallow – swirl through any jam you want, and you’ve got a brand new custom flavour. But I can’t lie, I went down the jam route because I wanted to use these bad boys in another recipe. An epic recipe. STAY TUNED.
The jam thing is very cool, and low effort too. One of these sweet strawberry rounds in a dark, bitter hot chocolate? Killer.
The other thing with these guys is, they make an amazing edible gift. Homemade marshmallows really make people think you’re a magician, that you’ve really pushed the boat out. I’m already blaring the Beach Boys Christmas album pretty much non-stop, so I figure we’re officially in the hostess-gift time of year!
Anyway, hope you like these little cloud-like strawberry jam marshmallows! Throw some in a box for a friend, or toast them for s’mores, or throw them in your hot chocolate. Whatever you do, get them into your life!
xx Sarah.
- Flavourless oil, to grease (I use grapeseed oil)
- 20g powdered gelatin
- 180ml water
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
- 2 egg whites
- pinch of cream of tartar
- 1 cup (250ml) water
- 2 cups (400g) caster sugar
- ½ cup strawberry jam
- Grease and line a 9x13inch (22x33cm) pan with non-stick baking paper, letting the paper overhand the edges of the pan, and greasing on top of the paper as well.
- Place the gelatin, water and vanilla into a bowl and stir well. Set aside. This mixture will thicken as it sits.
- Place the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whisk until frothy, and just starting to form very soft peaks. Set aside.
- Place the water and sugar into a large, heavy based saucepan. Place over a medium heat, and cook until the sugar dissolves, and the mixture starts to boil. Keep cooking until the mixture reaches 125C/257F on a sugar thermometer.
- When the sugar is the right temperature, remove from the heat and carefully stir in the gelatin mixture.
- Start whipping the egg whites again at a medium-high speed, and slowly stream in the hot sugar-gelatin syrup. The mixture will turn white and look very liquid, but keep streaming in the syrup slowly until it is all used.
- Continue whipping the mixture on a medium speed for 10-15 minutes, or until it reaches about 40C/100F, which is when the bowl is still a little warm to the touch.
- Swirl through the jam with a heatproof spatula, and then pour into the greased pan, and leave at room temperature for at least an hour, to set.
- Cut into squares or rounds, and serve.
I have so much love for these.
i love the pale pink color that the jam adds! i made vanilla marshmallows years ago, but after seeing marshmallows everywhere (and here!), i’m thinking it’s time to try them again.
I was thinking about giving marshmallows as little Christmas gifts this year and this recipe looks perfect. I love the palest pink colour the jam gives it as well.
Beautiful snowy treat!
“giant jigally pan of marshies” made me laugh out loud … hehe! Love these beauties, Sarah! Love how they’re punched out circle-style, too! xo
Thanks lovely! xx
I love marshmallows! They are on my list of Christmas recipes to tackle this year too! I have many fond memories of making homemade marshmallows with my ex-navy cook Dad (he taught me to bake, swear, waltz, and drink whiskey – all useful skills I feel) and I can’t wait to surprise him by making some and bringing them over for one of our Christmas lights nights (he decorates the whole house).
Also, I can’t wait for this EPIC recipe featuring these marshmallows! Let’s eat all the sugar!!!!