‘Tis the season to brighten up some of those old holiday recipes. Toast up these Festive Cranberry Lime Marshmallows and serve with dark chocolate for a delicious treat. And while you’re at it, why not brighten a few spirits as well by sharing with friends and family.

Marshmallows demystified – do it in stages….

Repeat after me, “I got this!” Marshmallows are the easiest thing in the world to make. Once you break down the elements into segments, you can practically make them in your sleep. In this recipe for Festive Cranberry Lime Marshmallows, I break down the stages of marshmallow making to make them more approachable.

Think of marshmallows as having four distinct stages of preparation. For this homemade marshmallow recipe, think of those stages in the following terms:

Pan prep – have your pan lined, sprayed and dusted with powdered sugar before doing anything else.
Egg white prep – have your egg whites separated and at room temperature. Clean the beaters and bowl first with lime juice (white vinegar or lemon juice also work) to ensure there is no oil, detergent or other residues to keep the egg whites from whipping up fully. We want light, fluffy marshmallows, right?
Hot sugar mixture prep – this is probably the stage where people get the most anxious. I do, too. When you’re working with molten sugar, think safety first. Wear jeans and hard top shoes. Make sure people and pets are not running around the kitchen when you are working with hot sugar – especially when you are transferring it to the mixing bowl. Don’t turn up the speed on the mixer until you are certain that hot sugar won’t go flying across the room. I can’t overstated this: think safety first.
Finishing ingredients prep – Have your cranberries, zest and coconut ready to mix into the marshmallows as soon as the sugar/gelatin mixture is ready.

I’m not telling you these things to overwhelm, micromanage or frighten you in the kitchen (well, maybe a little when it comes to hot sugar). However, with each stage – and especially with the sugar – the more you can prep, the easier things will flow. And the more you can enjoy the process. Once you have the stages set in your mind (and prepped), it really is quite easy.

Festive Cranberry Lime Marshmallows: A holiday classic re-imagined

One of the things I love about homemade marshmallows is that you can really get creative with flavor combinations. For example in the summer, I like to make a fresh lavender and lemon marshmallow that is infused with Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice Gin. Dipped in dark chocolate ganache they are to die for!

With this recipe for Festive Cranberry Lime Marshmallows, I wanted to bring a little fresh fruit and citrus into the mix. The cranberries and lime zest really brighten up the marshmallows. The toasted coconut adds just a little crunch. And although there is still a fair amount of sugar in these fluffy, little clouds of goodness, the tartness of the fruit offsets the sweetness beautifully. I also love the cheery pop of color the cranberries and lime zest bring to these homemade marshmallows.

Homemade marshmallows also make great gifts during the holidays. Add a few to your cookie trays and watch people’s eyes light up. There’s something about a marshmallow that just makes you smile. I think they bring out the little kid in all of us.

Are you looking for more holiday recipes? If you can’t get enough of fresh cranberries and are looking for a new cookie recipe, try our Lemon Cranberry Slice Cookies. Another delicious cookie you can bake to share – or not.

Blessings & enjoy!

Festive Cranberry Lime Marshmallows

Recipe by Maria Ostrander Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Resting time

hours

This recipe yields 63, 1-inch marshmallows. One serving equals 3 marshmallows.

Ingredients

For prepping the pan and finishing the marshmallows
Cooking spray and parchment paper for prepping the pan
1/4 cup powdered sugar for prepping the pan
For blooming the gelatin
3 Tbsp. unflavored powdered gelatin
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus a little extra for wiping down the mixing bowl and beaters
1/4 cup water
For the sugar mixture (to be added later to the gelatin mixture)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
For finishing the marshmallows
The whites of two large eggs, room temperature – whipped to stiff peaks
1/3 cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sweetened coconut, toasted
2 tsp. fresh lime zest
1/4 cup of powdered sugar for dusting the top of the marshmallows before chilling.
1/4 cup for dusting the cut marshmallows to prevent them from sticking together.

Directions

Prepare the pan
Spray the sides and bottom of a 12-inch L x 9-inch W x 1-inch D rectangular baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Note: The pan can vary slightly in size, but try to stay as close to these dimensions as possible.
Place a piece of parchment paper inside the pan and press the paper into place so that it fits the pan tightly – no bubbles, wrinkles or gaps.
Next, spray the top and sides of of the parchment paper and dust with 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. Rotate and tap the pan until the entire surface of the parchment is coated. Tap off any remaining powdered sugar in a bowl and set aside for coating the marshmallows when cutting. Set the pan aside.
Bloom the gelatin
In the bottom of a stand mixer or large bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of lime juice and 1/4 cup of cold water. Give it a quick stir to ensure the gelatin is incorporated. It will form a, well, gelatinous mass. Set aside until ready to mix in the hot sugar mixture.
Prepare the hot sugar mixture
In a 3-quart, heavy-bottom sauce pan, add the 2 cups of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of light corn syrup, 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Over low heat, using a wooden or metal spoon, stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
Stop stirring. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a low boil. Using a candy or digital thermometer, watch the sugar closely until it reaches 240 degrees F. This step should take approximately 8 – 10 minutes.
When the sugar has reached 240 degrees F, remove the pan from the heat and CAREFULLY pour it over the gelatin mixture. It’s going to smell terrible at this stage, but don’t panic. This will pass.
Begin beating the sugar/gelatin mixture by first starting on low and gradually increasing the speed to high over the course of a few seconds – just to ensure the hot mixture does not fly out of the bowl initially. Increase the speed to high and whip until the mixture triples in volume – approximately 7 – 8 minutes.
Prepare the egg whites
While the sugar/gelatin mixture is whipping, prepare the egg whites. Note: If you are working only with a hand mixer, whip your whites while the sugar mixture is cooking and have them on standby.
Before whipping the egg whites, prepare a small mixing bowl and beaters by first wiping them down with lime juice. Add the egg whites to the bowl.
Whip the whites on high speed until stiff peaks form – approximately 4-5 minutes.
Finish the marshmallows
When the sugar/gelatin mixture has whipped to 3x its volume, it’s time to add the egg whites and other ingredients. Add the egg whites, cranberries, zest and coconut to the sugar/gelatin mixture and beat on high until just combined. Do not over mix.
Evenly spread the finished marshmallows in the prepared pan. Dust the top of the marshmallows with 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and place the tray in the refrigerator, uncovered to set up. Allow the marshmallows to rest for a minimum of 2 hours before cutting. Overnight is best.
When ready to cut the marshmallows, lift the parchment paper out of the pan and peel back the sides of the paper. Trim any uneven edges. You should be able to cut nine 1″ strips across. Each strip should yield seven 1-inch marshmallow cubes.
Toss the cubes in the extra sifted powdered sugar to prevent the marshmallows from sticking together. Marshmallows will keep for 1 week in an airtight container.

Notes

What if I don’t have a candy thermometer? How will I know if the sugar is ready? If you don’t have a candy or digital read thermometer, you can walk with the power of the generations of cooks who came before you by using the soft ball stage test. Have a glass of cold water and a spoon next to you when you are making the sugar. Carefully scoop a little of the sugar syrup out of the pan and drop it into the glass of cold water. Allow it to cool for a few seconds. The sugar has reached the soft ball stage when you can roll it into a soft ball with your fingers. It will still be sticky, but pliable to the touch. Having a thermometer does ensure your sugar doesn’t get too hot, though. If your sugar gets over 240 degrees F. your marshmallows may come out rubbery.
Why is it so important to clean the bowl and beaters before whipping egg whites? Does it really make a difference if there’s a little yolk in there? Cleaning the beaters and bowl first with lime juice (white vinegar or lemon juice) ensures there is no oil, detergent or other residues to keep your egg whites from whipping up fully. Egg yolks contain fat, which prevents the whites from reaching their full potential.
The marshmallows will be very firm when they first come out of the refrigerator, but will soften as they reach room temperature.