Making a batch of homemade marshmallows is unbelievably simple! Mix and mold your own gourmet creations in less than an hour.

Eileen Talanian is an entrepreneurial pastry chef who has served on the board of directors of the Philadelphia chapters of the American Institute of Wine and Food and Les Dames d’Escoffier International.

Basic Marshmallow Coating

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

If what you prefer is a simple coating for your marshmallows, this is it. You can use potato starch or rice flour in place of the cornstarch, if you prefer. Mass-produced marshmallows, like the kind found in the candy aisle of a standard supermarket, are coated only with cornstarch. I prefer a combination of 1 part cornstarch to 3 parts confectioners’ sugar, but you can adjust this ratio to suit your own taste, or simply use plain cornstarch.

Sift the sugar and cornstarch together, or put them into a food processor and pulse until there are no lumps. Store the coating indefinitely in an airtight container.

Strawberry Marshmallows

The deep colors and intense flavor of strawberries make them perfect ingredients for marshmallows. These marshmallows are a pretty pink color, and impart a fresh strawberry flavor. Don’t use fresh strawberries unless you can get them locally in season―the out-of-season berries have no flavor and neither will your marshmallows if you use them. Use berries that have been frozen without sugar instead. These marshmallows are especially delicious when dipped in chocolate. This recipe requires a larger saucepan, because the berries boil up high.

For the bloom:

4 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

1 1/4 cups pureed strawberries at cool room temperature

For the base:

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup pureed strawberries

1 1/4 cups Marshmallow Syrup (page 26)

2 cups granulated cane sugar

Pinch salt

Prepare a pan by coating it with nonstick spray, then wiping it lightly with a paper towel so that only a thin film of oil remains.

Make the bloom. Place the gelatin in a small bowl and stir in the puréed strawberries until there are no lumps. Place the bowl near the stove.

Fill a cup with warm water and set it near the stove with a pastry brush. Place the base ingredients in a heavy 6- quart saucepan over medium heat.This base boils up high, so keep it over medium heat and watch closely. Do not cover the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, using the pastry brush dipped in water to wash down the sides of the pan to dissolve any sugar crystals that may have accumulated there. Do not stir the mixture once you have washed down the sides of the pan. Insert a candy thermometer, and boil the mixture until the temperature reaches 250 degrees F.

Turn off the heat, remove the thermometer, and stir in the bloomed gelatin. Pour the batter into the bowl of a stand mixer and gradually increase the speed to high. Cover the mixer with a clean kitchen towel for the first 3 or 4 minutes to avoid splattering hot liquid on yourself. Beat the marshmallow for a total of 10 minutes.

Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and let it cure, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or overnight. Cut and coat the marshmallows as desired, and store them in an airtight container, with a corner ajar, for up to 2 weeks. Recommended coatings: Basic, Cocoa, Strawberry or Banana Fruit Powder.