Raspberry Swirl Marshmallows (All-Natural!)

Valentine’s day is almost here! Time for everything pink! Freeze-dried raspberries are my new favorite things for coloring food, and they add a great tangy-sweet flavor to everything they’re mixed with. To make raspberry powder, I simply grind up the freeze-dried raspberries using my mortar and pestle, then put it through my fine mesh strainer, to remove the seeds.

Since I simply had to use this technique for some treat, and since marshmallows may be the most delicious, fun-to-make things in the entire world, a few days ago, a light bulb went off in my head… BLING! Raspberry Marshmallows. A slightly tart, sweet, and gently fruity tasting marshmallow, with a lovely pink hue. These marshmallows are perfect for Valentine’s Day, or any day!

Though there are a few special pieces of equipment needed for this recipe, it is actually pretty easy to make. You must use a candy thermometer, a fine mesh strainer, a blender, and an electric mixer (a stand mixer works the best). However, once you have all the equipment, and some gelatin on hand, these can be made in no time at all. In fact, the only time-consuming part about these is the long amount of waiting time, while the marshmallows set.

This raspberry marshmallow recipe has only a few more steps than my honey marshmallow recipe, but the extra few prep minutes are very much worth it!

And now, for my haiku, Ode To Marshmallow:

O, my marshmallow;

So soft, so gently sweet

A pillow of yum…

Ingredients:

2 Tbs arrowroot or tapioca starch, for dusting

1 Tbs coconut oil, for greasing

3 Tbs unflavored beef gelatin (this kind is grass-fed)

¾ cup filtered water (split into a ½ cup and a ¼ cup)

¾ cup raspberries (frozen or fresh)

1 cup honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 pinch sea salt

½ cup freeze-dried raspberries, ground to a powder and seeds sifted out

Directions:

1.     Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper and grease it with the coconut oil. Sprinkle on the arrowroot starch to coat the pan.

2.     In the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the gelatin over the ½ cup water and let it sit, so the gelatin can “bloom”.

3.     Place the frozen (or fresh) raspberries and the ¼ cup water in a blender and blend until smooth.

4.     Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the seeds out of the raspberry juice, and pour the now-seedless juice into a medium-sized pot.

5.     Put the honey, vanilla and salt in the pot with the raspberry juice and turn the heat to medium-high.

6.     Place a candy thermometer in the pot and remove the mixture from heat when the thermometer reads 240 degrees F. Do not let the mixture go over 240°!!

7.     Turn the stand mixer on low,  and very slowly, pour the hot raspberry mixture into the bowl of the stand mixer, in with the softened gelatin.

8.     Gradually (the mixture is very hot), increase the mixer speed to medium, then high. Let it whip for 10-12 more minutes, or until the marshmallow fluff is cooler to the touch, lighter in color, and has tripled in size.

9.     Scoop the fluff into the prepared baking sheet, and immediately pour the raspberry powder on top. Using a rubber spatula, swirl/spread it in circles on top of the marshmallow fluff. Smooth out the surface, then sprinkle the arrowroot on top. Gently pat the surface down.

10. Let the marshmallow set for 4-12 hours, then slice into squares or cut using fun cookie cutters. Store the marshmallows in a sealed bag or container at room temperature, or freeze for later use.