marshmallow hearts

To be honest, Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean a lot to me. Surely, I like being surprised by a bouquet of flowers, some chocolate or (even more) a cake mould. But it doesn’t have to be on Valentine’s Day. So even though we don’t celebrate this day, I couldn’t resist to make this fluffy and soft marshmallow hearts for my beloved.

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Makes about 20 – 30 marshmallow hearts or cubes (Adapted by David Lebovitz)

• 8 sheets gelatin
• 140 g corn starch
• 140 g confectioners sugar
• 0.8 dl cold water
• 200 g sugar
• 100 g corn syrup
• 4 egg whites at room temperature
• pinch of salt
• 2 vanilla pods
• food colouring

In a bowl, mix the corn stark and the confectioners sugar.

With a sifter, dust a baking tin, about 23cm – 30cm or a square tin about 20cm evenly and completely with a generous layer of the corn stark/confectioners sugar mixture and make sure there are absolutely no bare spots. Set the rest of the mixture aside until using.

In a bowl, soak the gelatin leaves in cold water.

In a small saucepan, fitted with a candy thermometer, mix the sugar, the corn syrup and the water. Place over medium-to-high heat.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, pour in the egg whites and beat on low-speed until frothy. Add the pinch of salt.

When the syrup reaches about 100º C, increase the speed of the mixer to high and beat the whites until they are thick and fluffy.

When the syrup reaches about 118º C, while the mixer is running on high-speed, slowly pour the hot syrup into the whites.

Scrape the gelatin and 2 tablespoon water into the pan that you used for the syrup and swirl it to dissolve.

Pour the liquified gelatin slowly into the egg whites as they are whipping.

Halve the vanilla pods lengthwise and use the tip of a sharp knife to scrape the seeds out of one half. Add the vanilla seeds and the food colouring and continue to whip for 5 minutes, until the mixture is feels cool when you touch the outside of the bowl.

Use a spatula to spread the mixture in a layer on the pan. Allow to dry for overnight, uncovered and in a cool place, but not a refrigerator.

Dust the top of the marshmallows with some of the corn starch/confectioners sugar mixture. Use a pizza cutter or scissors (dusted as well with the corn stark/confectioners sugar mixture) to cut the marshmallows into any size or shape pieces that you’d like and toss the marshmallows in the remaining corn stark/confectioners sugar mixture. Remove the excess powder with a brush.

Enjoy! and Happy Valentine’s Day ♥