extracts like vanilla and peppermint, tinted in various colours or swirled with caramel. And they’re easy to make. Powdered gelatin is the secret ingredient in tender homemade marshmallows, whipped with a boiling mixture of sugar, water and corn syrup until fluffy. Some recipes also include egg whites — sort of a hybrid marshmallow/meringue mixture. Or you can create a vegan facsimile using rice flour, agar-agar and guar gum. Pastry chef Kimberley Vy says the trick to making marshmallows is working quickly — dust a greased pan with icing sugar and cornstarch, then spread the whipped mixture into a pan, using a well-oiled offset spatula to smooth the top. These days, chefs love to experiment with marshmallow flavours, from green tea to lavender and raspberry, but to keep your treats snowy white, opt for vanilla, lemon or even peppermint essences. Vy also swirls caramel or dulce de leche through her marshmallow treats. At Victoria’s Tout de Sweet Confections, the handmade organic marshmallows are fluffy and ethereal and offered in many flavours, from vanilla bean and strawberry to chocolate, lemon and chai. The shop on Fairfield Road also carries things to make your holiday desserts sparkle, whether you’re looking for colourful sprinkles or decorating sugars.
60
YAM MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2017