Neapolitan Marshmallows

A good Sunday to everyone!

I'm still busy making the most of my baking weekend but I have things prepared to share. Today, we're making  Neapolitan Marshmallows. They're tasty little bites, flavored just like neapolitan ice cream with layers of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.

Now, you can probably tell just by looking at them that they're going to be a wee bit time consuming but hey, they're adorable! Pretty takes time and these are probably the cutest confection I've made in a while. I can already see them dressed up in little bags and chocolate colored ribbons, ready to be gifted.

This will be a fairly large batch of marshmallows. The recipe today will fill a 12" x 18" half sheet cake pan approximately 1 inch deep. I was considering halving it for a 9" x 13" in the recipe post below but decided against it. Since this recipe requires a relatively hefty time investment for marshmallows (~2hrs) and they're so screaming cute,  I figured folks would be making them to primarily to share/give-away/show-off, so why not keep the batch size large. That and larger batches of marshmallow are easier to prepare and handle than smaller ones.

I will note that I had considered making the strawberry layer flavored with strawberry puree rather than strawberry candy oil, but I figured that would really be pushing it in terms of effort. Of course, If you desire the real thing, I suggest checking out the book linked below for fresh strawberry marshmallows. I don't usually push cookbooks on the blog, but I do love this book. If you're at all a homemade marshmallow fan, consider downloading the Kindle version to your mac or pc.  It's cheap. 

Neapolitan Marshmallows

adapted from Marshmallows

a 12" x 18" sheet. That's... a lot.

Chocolate Layer

Chocolate slurry:

1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa 

1 tablespoon instant espresso crystals or powder 

2/3 cup boiling water

Base:

1/2 cup water

1 1/4 cups corn syrup (or invert syrup)

1 1/2 cups granulated cane sugar

pinch salt

Bloom:

1/2 cup cold water

4 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Prep your pan with a little non-stick spray oil and wipe out the excess. If you lack a half sheet pan, you can prepare a marble pastry stone or a section of clean non-porus countertop with a thin coating of oil. Your marshmallow slab won't have perfectly square edges during the process but you will be able to trim it up and make it even after it sets. 

Mix together the ingredients for the slurry until smooth and set aide by the stove. 

Combine the ingredients for the base in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and set over medium high heat. Stir until mixture boils and sugar is dissolved. Keep the sides of the pan clear of sugar splatters with a damp pastry brush. Cook without stirring until the mixture comes to 260°F. 

While the mixture is cooking, combine the ingredients for the bloom with a small whisk. Mix until free of lumps and set aside by the stove. 

When the base hits 260°F, remove from heat and stir in the bloom. The mixture will bubble up, so I hope you listened to me when I called for a large pot. Add the chocolate slurry and mix to combine. Pour the hot mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, gradually bring the mixer to high speed.  There may be splatters as the marshmallow mixture starts off frighteningly thin. Feel free to cover your mixer with a towel until the mixture cools and thickens. Beat the marshmallow for 18 minutes on high speed. 

Spread the thickened marshmallow mixture evenly into your prepared pan. 

Start the next layer:

Vanilla Layer

Base:

3/4 cup water

1 1/4 cups corn syrup (or invert syrup)

1 1/2 cups granulated cane sugar

punch salt

Bloom:

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons cold water 

1tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unflavored gelatin 

Combine the ingredients for the base in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and set over medium high heat. Stir until mixture boils and sugar is dissolved. Keep the sides of the pan clear of sugar with a damp pastry brush. Cook without stirring until the mixture comes to 250°F.

While the base mixture is cooking, combine the ingredients for the bloom with a small whisk. Mix until smooth and free of lumps. Set aside by the stove. 

Once the mixture hits 250°F, remove from heat add the bloom to the base, stirring gently.  Pour the hot marshmallow slurry into the bowl of your stand mixer and gradually bring the mixer to high speed.  There may be splatters as the marshmallow mixture starts off very thin. Feel free to cover your mixer with a towel until the mixture cools and thickens. Beat the marshmallow for 8-10 minutes and then spread the layer into your pan. 

Finally, you're ready for the...

Strawberry Layer

prepare as above with the addition of the following to the bloom:

1 teaspoon strawberry flavoring (like LorAnn's)

1-2 drops soft pink gel food coloring 

Once you've added the final layer, spray a couple sheets of aluminum foil with non-stick spray and cover. Don't press the foil down against the marshmallow, this is just to keep anything from falling (or flying) into your pan, which is quite sticky while the marshmallow cures.

Allow the marshmallows to cure covered for several hours, or overnight.  Once they've firmed up, you can prepare your dusting mixture and slice!

Dusting Mixture

1/4 cup corn starch, potato starch or rice flour

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Using an lightly oiled knife or pizza cutter.  Cut a quarter slab from the marshmallow sheet and begin cutting it into strips. Keep your marshmallow slab and surface well dusted with the dusting mixture to prevent any sticking.

Cut the slab into strips, dredging each strip through the dusting mixture after cutting.  Then cut the strips into cubes.  Toss the cubes in the dusting mixture to coat. Shake the cubes in your hands to remove the excess.

That's it! You're done with your marathon of marshmallow making. Now sit back and bask in the cuteness. 

You can eat a few too. Go ahead. 

To store the fruits of your effort: Separate layers of marshmallows with parchment or wax paper in a container with a loose fitting lid. 

Marshmallows will dry out if left completely uncovered, but they do need a little air for the longest shelf life (up to 2 weeks).

Enjoy!

Pin It