Make your own marshmallows to toast over an open fire; they’re not as difficult as you might think. You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.
Ingredients
Method
Main
1.Blend pineapple in batches in a blender until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve to yield 370ml juice (discard solids). Transfer to a saucepan, cook over medium heat until juice is reduced to 185ml (25-35 minutes), then set aside to cool.
2.Combine gelatine, rind and pineapple juice in a small bowl and stand until juice is absorbed (1-2 minutes). Place gelatine mixture over a saucepan of simmering water and stand until gelatine dissolves (1-2 minutes). Keep warm.
3.Bring sugar, glucose and 200ml water to the boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar, then brush down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush and cook over medium-high heat until syrup reaches 125C on a sugar thermometer (8-12 minutes).
4.Meanwhile, when syrup has almost reached 125C, whisk eggwhites in an electric mixer on medium speed to soft peaks. Increase speed to high and whisk to firm peaks, then, whisking continuously on medium speed, add syrup and gelatine mixture simultaneously in thin steady streams. Whisk until cool. Spoon into a 24cm x 14cm cake tin lined with baking paper, smooth top with a wet palette knife and refrigerate until firm (overnight; marshmallow will keep refrigerated for 1 week wrapped tightly in plastic wrap).
5.Turn out marshmallow onto a board dusted with icing sugar, then cut into 15 pieces and dust each piece all over with icing sugar.
6. Place a marshmallow on the end of a stick, cook over an open flame until toasted (20-30 seconds) and eat immediately.
This recipe is from the January 2012 issue of .
Notes
