Raspberry Guimauves / Marshmallows

Guimauve, as those who are familiar with confectionaries and bon bon will know, is actually French marshmallow. They can be enjoyed on their own and are also often used as decoration to adorn other pastries. I am not a 'candy girl' and don't like overly sweet stuff. The only candy I take are Fruit Gums... sweets that are chewy and springy in texture. Marshmallows tend to be a tad too sweet for my liking but the texture is incomparable.

For those of you who diligently check the costing of every recipe - this is one candy that is cheaper to buy from the Supermarket than to make it by yourself. So why bother? Well, first of all, I get to work with the flavours I like, then I also get to make something with a softer and more tender texture and last but not least, I get the thrill of seeing sugar transform from a bubbling syrup into a spongy foam.... the molecular wonders of food unfolding in front of your eyes.

The recipe I have chosen to work with does not involve egg white. It is pure sugar foam with fruit puree. Hence, the fruitiness of the candy can be enjoyed at its most intense.

There are many ways to present this sweet. One can choose to set it in an oiled square pan and cut them into strips or cubes. I chose to pipe them with a plain round tip. My piping skill is still amateurish and I won't argue with anyone who thinks my Guimauves look like pink dog poop.

But still, they are deliciously fruity. I probably will try to make another batch with Lychee puree, spiked with a little Rose essence. Or I could try to coat my Raspberry Guimauves with dark chocolate... so many things to do but so little time...

Recipe

White Castor Sugar 200g

Raspberry Puree 200g

Corn Syrup 100g

Corn Syrup 125g

Gelatine Leaves 15g

Corn Starch 150g

Icing Sugar 150g

Method

1. In a heavy saucepan, place Raspberry Puree, Corn Syrup (100g) and Castor Sugar. Heat to cook mexiture to 109C. (Check with candy thermometer)

2. Soak geltaine leaves in cold water to soften. Squeeze dry gelatine leaves and mix with Corn Syrup (125g).

3. When Sugar syrup reaches 109C, remove from heat and add in (2).

4. Steadily, pour sugar syrup into a mixing bowl fitted with a whip mixer. Whip continuously while pouring in sugar syrup. Continue to whip until mixture cools, the sugar syrup will start to turn into a spongy foam as it cools during whipping.

5. Pipe the spongy foam using a plain piping tip onto parchment laid tray or silpat mat. Leave marshmallow to set at room temperature for 24hours.

Alternatively, marshmallow can be poured into an oiled square tin and leave to set for 24 hours. These can then be cut into strips and cubes.

6. Sift corn flour and icing sugar together. Sift the powder mixture over the set marshmallow to prevent them from sticking to each other.

Note: Plan your work carefully, make sure the timing managed in such a way that you are ready to pour the syrup into the mixer when temperature is reached. If Syrup cools down without adequate whipping, sugar whiskers will be formed instead of foam.