Homemade Marshmallows

Thinking about gift giving?  Here's an idea... a package of homemade marshmallows coupled with a jar of your favorite homemade hot cocoa mix. These puffy squares o' bliss are absolutely delish!  If you never had the homemade variety, you just don't know what you are missing.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup water, divided
• 3 (.25 ounce) packages unflavored gelatin
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup cornstarch--divided
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar--divided

Directions

1. Oil the sides a 9x13 baking dish (not the bottom) and line the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit. . Cut another piece of parchment to cover, set aside.  Blend cornstarch and confectioner's sugar together in a bowl, mixing well.  Sift 1/4 cup of this mixture on top of parchment lining the bottom of the pan. It's important to sift to eliminate any lumps.  
2. Place 1/2 cup of water in the bowl of an electric mixer, and sprinkle gelatin on top of water to allow gelatin to bloom.
3. While gelatin is soaking, combine 1/4 cup of water, corn syrup, and sugar in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil the mixture hard for 1 minute.
4. Pour the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin mixture and beat on high for about 8 minutes with electric mixer OR until the mixture is fluffy and forms stiff peaks. Add vanilla extract, and beat just until blended.
5. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared baking dish, using an oiled spatula to smooth the top of the candy.  Sift another 1/4 cup cornstarch/powdered sugar over the surface of the marshmallow. Cover the candy with the reserved parchment, and press down lightly.

Allow the marshmallow candy to rest for 4 hours or overnight. Mix together cornstarch and confectioner's sugar in a shallow dish. Using a pizza cutter that has been either oiled--or dipped in hot water, cut the marshmallow candy into strips 1 inch wide, then into 1 inch squares. Dredge the marshmallows lightly in the cornstarch mixture and store in an airtight container. 

This is where the creativity plays the ace.  

Some of my all-time favorite customized versions of this candy are:  

• Toasted Coconut--coconut extract + toasted coconut sprinkled on top.
• Chocolate--cocoa powder
• Peppermint--Peppermint extract with or without crushed peppermint candy sprinkled on top.  (For visual appeal, as soon the candy is panned up, adding red food coloring then marbling the color with a butter knife throughout the candy. 
• Lemon--lemon extract
• Raspberry--Raspberry extract with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips on top.  

Imagination is the limit.  

Colored sugars, sprinkles, etc can also be used.  

Experiment!