Sea Salt Caramel Swirl Marshmallows

20120228-bakethebook-marshmallowmadness-seasaltcaramelmarshmallows.jpg
Leigh Beisch

Mastering the art of marshmallow making gives candy makers the opportunity to play with all sorts of exciting flavors because, after all, the marshmallow is really just a squishy blank canvas. We have to tip our hats to Shauna Sever, author of Marshmallow Madness for having the foresight and vision to bring together two of our favorite confections in these Sea Salt Caramel Swirl Marshmallows. And if you're wondering, they're just as great as they sound: Tender, bouncy vanilla marshmallows are run through with ribbons of sweet and salty caramel.

If you have trepidations about tackling both caramels and marshmallows at one time, you can simplify the recipe by investing in a can of dulce de leche. All you have to do is warm it up slightly, add salt to taste, and use it in place of caramel in the recipe. We promise we won't tell, and the results will be equally delicious.

Reprinted with permission from Marshmallow Madness by Shauna Sever. Copyright © 2012. Published by Quirk Books. Available wherever books are sold. All rights reserved.

Recipe Details

Sea Salt Caramel Swirl Marshmallows

Active 60 mins
Total 9 hrs
Serves 24 servings

Ingredients

Classic Coating:

  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

  • 1 cup potato starch

The Swirl:

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 1 teaspoon light corn syrup

  • 3 tablespoons cream

  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

The Bloom:

  • 4 1/2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin

  • 1/2 cup cold water

The Syrup:

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup, divided

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

The Mallowing:

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup Classic Coating plus more for dusting

Directions

  1. For the Classic Coating: Sift the ingredients together in a large bowl or combine them in a food processor. I tend to make several cups’ worth at a time and store it in an airtight container; it keeps forever.

  2. Sea Salt Caramel Swirl: Stir together the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over high heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup comes to a bubble. From this point on, don’t stir the syrup; just occasionally swirl the pan gently. When the caramel reaches a light amber color, remove the pan from the heat and quickly whisk in the cream. The caramel will bubble violently, so be careful. Whisk in the salt. Transfer the caramel to a medium bowl.

  3. For the Marshmallows: Lightly coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

  4. Whisk together the gelatin and cold water in a small bowl and let soften for 5 minutes.

  5. Stir together the sugar, 1/4 cup of the corn syrup, water, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 240°F. Meanwhile, pour remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Microwave gelatin on high until completely melted, about 30 seconds. Pour it into the mixer bowl. Set the mixer speed to low and keep it running.

  6. When the syrup reaches 240°F, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. Increase to medium-high and beat for 5 more minutes. Beat on the highest setting for 1 to 2 minutes more and beat in the vanilla; the finished marshmallow will be opaque white, fluffy, and tripled in volume.

  7. Working quickly, scoop about a quarter of the finished batter into the bowl with the caramel. Whisk the mixture together until well blended. Scrape the caramel marshmallow back into the bowl with the vanilla batter and, using a large spatula and a figure-eight motion, fold and swirl the two together. Pour the marshmallow into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to smooth it into the corners and flatten the top. Sift coating evenly and generously over the top. Let it set for 8 hours in a cool, dry place.

  8. Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan. Invert the slab onto a coating-dusted work surface and dust it with more coating. Cut it into pieces and dip the sticky edges in more coating, patting off the excess. After a day or two of storage, these mallows may need to be redusted with coating.

Special Equipment

Small saucepan, 8-by-8-inch baking pan, stand or electric mixer with whisk attachment, rubber spatula, instant-read thermometer

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
87 Calories
1g Fat
20g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 87
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 2mg 1%
Sodium 41mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 33mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)