☁️Revised Idiot’s Guide to Making Vegan Marshmallows ☁️
May 26, 2019
This basic recipe can be altered with flavor extracts, food coloring, and assorted goodies stuck to their exterior. In fact, go nuts with your marshmallows and let me know how it goes!
E Q U I P M E N T
Stand-up mixer
Silicone molds or pan of your choice
Large piping bag (I didn’t use a tip)
I N G R E D I E N T S
3/4 cup plus 6 TB of water
3 teaspoons agar powder (not agar flakes)
1 and 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup (I used Karo light corn syrup)
3/4 cup aquafaba from one can of chickpeas
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
2 and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
food coloring (optional)
To line the molds:
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Coconut oil non-stick spray (with “No Propellants” if you can find it; I used Pompeian brand.)
1.) Plug the stand-up mixer in and put on the whisk attachment. Make sure there is no debris in the heat-save bowl. You want smooth marshies.
2.) Put two small saucepans on the stovetop. Affix one of the saucepans with a candy thermometer. There will only be a small amount of liquid in this saucepan, so a pan with too large a base will have you fiddling with the candy thermometer to ensure the red glob that detects the temperature is fully immersed in candy liquid. So let that help you determine the size of the saucepan.
3.) Drain a can of chickpeas so that brine collects in a liquid measuring cup. Use the chickpeas for something else. You should get about 3/4 cup of aquafaba from the can.
4.) Put all ingredients out on the counter. Group them like this:
Agar powder
Corn syrup and sugar
Aquafaba, xanthan gum, lemon juice, vanilla
5.) Prep your molds. Coat the interior of molds with a light mist of coconut oil spray. If it gets too oily, wipe down with a paper towel. You don’t want to jeopardize the texture of the marshmallows with too much oil. Stir corn starch and powdered sugar together. Lightly dust your molds with the mixture. I do this over a pan to not waste a lot of the mixture. You will use some more to coat your marshmallows with after they are released from mold.
*If you don’t have molds, you can also just let marshmallow set in a pan.
6.) Now you want to get the three bowls you’ll be handling at once all set. Add the agar powder with 3/4 cup of the water in the small saucepan. Mix until dissolved. Leave on the burner but don’t start the flame yet.
7.) Then, in the saucepan with the candy thermometer, add sugar, corn syrup and the rest of the water (6 TB). Let that sit for a few moments while you prep the stand-up mixer bowl.
8.) Combine aquafaba, lemon juice and xanthan gum in the stand-up mixer bowl and get it ready to go.
9.) Now start everything. Turn on both burners to medium heat and the mixer to high speed. You’ll let the mixer whip up the aquafaba mixture for 2 minutes. Then stop it and add the vanilla.
10.) Watch the agar mixture, stirring occasionally until it’s boiling. Then lower the heat. Turn it up again when the pan with candy thermometer is almost done (below). Bring it back to a rolling boil. It should be thicker and show signs of getting gelatinous.
11.) Bring the candy pan to a wild boil and keep it going until it reaches 120 degrees C (248 F). Don’t get impatient! And be careful when handling it.
12.) Once sugar syrup mixture is at 120 C (248 F), take off heat and add to the chickpea mixture that’s whipping away. I lowered the speed only slightly and drizzled the syrup mixture in slowly and carefully, using a small rubber spatula to get all that sweetness in there. Let it whip 2 minutes and then add the Agar mixture. You’ll definitely have to use a spatula to get it all out–it should be set loosely.
13.) Now let it whip well to combine. I had to scrape down the sides once to ensure all the thickening concoctions were incorporated. After 3 minutes, add the food coloring if you’re using. After 5-7 minutes it should look ribbony and delicious.
14.) Next, transfer marshmallow (yes, it’s now marshmallow!) into piping bag. Do it quickly, but don’t rush. I prepped the pastry bag by folding up the narrow end and securing with a binder clip and folding down the top (wide) end so I can twist and squeeze neatly. When the bag is full, unclip the narrow end and pipe marshmallow into prepared molds. Use a cake scraper to scrape the top of the molds. If you’re using a pan, smooth top with a rubber spatula.
15.) Let them set for an hour at room temperature, uncovered. Then release them from the molds. They should release easily. Roll them in the cornstarch/sugar mixture and let them sit on the counter to continue to dry out. I let them dry out overnight uncovered and they were perfect.
