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For marshmallows with a pastel hue, add gel food colouring, drop by drop, near the end of whipping.

Servings: Makes about 2 dozen 1½-inch marshmallows

Marshmallows

4½ teaspoons unflavoured powdered gelatin

½ cup cold water

¾ cup sugar

½ cup light corn syrup, divided

¼ cup water

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ cup Classic Coating* (plus more for dusting)

Classic Coating

1½ cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup cornstarch or potato starch

Method

Lightly coat 2 dozen dome-shaped candy moulds (to get the shapes seen here) or an eight-by-eight-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Whisk together the gelatin and cold water in a small bowl and let soften for 5 minutes.

Stir together the sugar, ¼ cup of the corn syrup, water and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 240 F. Meanwhile, pour the remaining ¼ cup corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Microwave gelatin on high until completely melted (about 30 seconds). Pour it into the mixer bowl. Set the mixer speed to low and keep it running.

When the syrup reaches 240 F, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. Increase to medium-high and beat for 5 more minutes.

Beat on the highest setting for 1 to 2 minutes more and beat in the vanilla; the finished marshmallow will be opaque white, fluffy and tripled in volume.

Load the batter into a large pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the batter into the wells of the prepared candy moulds (or scrape batter into the prepared eight-by-eight-inch pan). Sift coating over the top. Let it set for 8 hours in a cool, dry place.

Gently nudge the set marshmallows out of the moulds and roll in coating, patting off the excess.

*To make enough Classic Coating for all three recipes below, sift 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar and 1 cup cornstarch or potato starch together in a large bowl or combine them in a food processor.

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