Classic Vanilla Marshmallows

Makes about 2 dozen

The bloom:

41/2 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

1/8 teaspoon salt

The mallowing:

2 teaspoons pure vanilla

1/2 cup classic coating, plus more for dusting (see recipe below)

1. Lightly coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Whisk together gelatin and cold water in a bowl and let soften for 5 minutes.

2. For the syrup, stir together sugar, 1/4 cup corn syrup, water and salt in a saucepan over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until temperature reaches 240 degrees.

3. Meanwhile, pour remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk. Microwave gelatin on high until melted, about 30 seconds. Pour into mixer bowl. Set the mixer speed to low and keep it running.

4. When syrup reaches 240 degrees, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase speed to medium; beat 5 more minutes. Increase speed to highest setting and beat 1-2 minutes more. Beat in vanilla. The batter will be opaque white, fluffy and tripled in volume.


6. Use a knife to loosen the edges. Invert the slab onto a coating-dusted work surface and dust with more coating. Cut into 11/2-inch squares or whatever size you prefer (a pizza cutter works well for this). Dip the sticky edges of the marshmallows in more coating, shaking off the excess.

Variations: Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or 1/3 cup crushed Oreo cookies before pouring the marshmallow into the prepared pan.

-- Shauna Sever, "Marshmallow Madness!" (Quirk, 96 pages, $16.95)

Classic Marshmallow Coating

Makes 2½ cups

11/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup cornstarch

Sift the ingredients together or use a food processor to combine them. Store in an airtight container.