Homemade Marshmallows (Zephyr)
Posted November 8, 2023 by: Admin
Zephyr represents a delightful Russian homemade marshmallows recipe, crafting confections that are not only light and fluffy but also melt in your mouth. After much dedication, I’ve perfected this recipe, ensuring the ideal, airy consistency using authentic ingredients (no need for jell-o), creating a delightful intense blackberry-lemon flavor. The alluring pinky-purple hue stems naturally from fresh blackberries, making these treats completely irresistible!
Comparing Zephyr to gourmet marshmallows is perhaps the closest reference. These surpass store-bought marshmallows by lightyears and serve as stunning additions to party dessert tables, whether it’s a shower, birthday, or a sophisticated tea party. Zephyr often steals the spotlight on a dessert table due to its exquisite presentation!
Ingredients for Blackberry Puree:
2 cups (or 8 oz or 250 grams) blackberries
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 egg white, room temperature
For the Agar Agar Syrup:
1/3 cup (75 ml) water
1 cup (200 grams) sugar
2 tsp (5 grams) agar agar*
Powdered Sugar to dust
*Agar agar is a plant-based thickener, akin to traditional unflavored gelatin derived from pork. Kosher-friendly, it doesn’t impart any aroma or flavor, especially when heated, making it an excellent choice! It’s readily available in natural and health-food stores such as Rosauers, Whole Foods, and is reasonably priced on Amazon.
How to Make Homemade Marshmallows (Zephyr):
1. In a medium saucepan, bring blackberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 Tbsp lemon juice to a simmer. Mash the berries and let them simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Then strain through a fine sieve, pressing on solids with a spatula. Scrape the back of the sieve to obtain 1/2 cup or 125 grams of puree. Chill the puree over an ice bath until cooled.
2. Once the puree is chilled and slightly thickened, combine it with 1 egg white in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk.** Beat for 8-10 minutes on high speed or until thick and stiff peaks form. While the blackberry/egg white mixture is whipping, proceed with step 3.
**If using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg white and fruit puree mixture first until stiff peaks form, then start on the agar syrup since you need your hands free to whisk the agar agar syrup constantly.
Regarding the use of raw egg whites: Always use eggs that have a whole, un-cracked shell from a trustworthy source. This method is similar to an Italian Buttercream where adding the hot syrup partially tempers the egg white, but if you want to take extra caution especially if pregnant or elderly, you can try using pasteurized egg whites, although from my research, it may take longer to beat the mixture if the egg white is pasteurized.
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