Homemade Strawberry Marshmallows

(This recipe is from the Brownie Points Blog browniepointsblog.com and has been adapted from a few other sources. She does some incredible versions of this that you should check out.)

4 envelopes gelatin

1/2 cups strawberry puree

1-1/4 cups water

3 cups sugar

1-1/4 cups light corn syrup

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp orange flower water (optional)

powdered sugar and potato starch or rice flour for dusting

Line a sheet pan with a 1″ rim with aluminum foil. coat the foil with vegetable oil or non-stick spray. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the strawberry puree, orange flower water (if using) and 1/2 cup of the water. Sprinkle the gelatin over this mixture to soften (aka bloom).
In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, remaining 3/4 cup water and salt. Bring to a boil and cook until it reaches the soft-ball stage (234-240 F).

With the mixer at full speed, pour all of the hot syrup slowly down the side of the bowl. Be careful as the mixture is very liquid and hot at this point and some may splash out of the bowl - use a splash guard if you have one. whip until the mixture is very fluffy and stiff, about 8-10 minutes. pour mixture into the foil-lined pan and smooth with an oiled offset spatula so that it's level with the top of the rim (it won't completely fill the pan). Allow the mixture to sit, uncovered at room temp for 10 to 12 hours.

Mix equal parts powdered sugar and potato starch and sift generously over the rested marshmallow slab. Turn it out onto a cutting board or counter, peel off foil and dust with more sugar/starch mixture. Slice with a thin-bladed oiled knife or oiled cookie cutters (pizza cutter works even better). Dip all cut edges in sugar/starch mixture and shake off excess. Marshmallows will keep several weeks at room temp in an air-tight container.

Variation - Biteclub's Lemongrass/Coconut milk
Replace puree with 1/2 cup coconut milk and 2 tablespoons lemongrass (i boiled the lemongrass, then pureed the fibers really well).

Variation - Coffee/cinnamon
Replace puree with 1/4 cup of Kahlua and a tablespoon of ground cinnamon.

Variation - Mojito
Replace puree with 1/2 cup of squeeze lime juice and pureed mint leaves (I used a big handful and threw the whole thing with the juice in the blender). I added 1 drop of green food coloring, too.

Variation - Chocolate Marshmallows (BIteclub note: These didn't work out as well. Try just swirling the coco mix into vanilla marshamallows. It looks amazing)

Replace strawberry puree and initial 1/2 cup of water in mixing bowl with 1/2 cup of cocoa dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water in a separate bowl. Soften gelatin in an additional 1/4 cup cold water in mixing bowl. Add cocoa mixture to mixing bowl and proceed with recipe as above. This will produce a marshmallow with a strong chocolate flavor, but somewhat denser than the strawberry version. To get a lighter texture as well as a lighter chocolate flavor, reduce cocoa to 1/4 cup.

Variation - Vanilla Marshmallows:
Replace strawberry puree and initial 1/2 cup of water in mixing bowl with 3/4 cup water and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract or the seeds scraped from 2 vanilla beans.