Monday, June 16, 2008

Passion fruit marshmallows

Passion fruit marshmallows

I worked as a teacher for 2 ½ years. As I taught in the evening, my students were adults, with very few exceptions. They were sweet, kind and hard working people and teaching them was a wonderful thing.
One day, two Mormon boys stopped by the school and offered to lecture the students, so they would practice their English skills. They told us about their mission in Brazil, the people they’d met, the places they’d seen. And this may come as a surprise to you, but I clearly remember what they said about the food. :)

Among other things, they were completely crazy about guaraná and passion fruit juice. They told the students they did not know how they were going to live without those beverages once they were back in the States.

Passion fruit is a huge favorite of mine and its flavor and smell are intoxicating. Marshmallows made with passion fruit juice? That sounded too fabulous not to try.

My friend Lindsey, whose husband is a fellow Brazilian like me, loves passion fruit juice. And I think she’s gonna love these, too.

Passion fruit marshmallows

Passion fruit marshmallows
from Australian Gourmet Traveller

confectioners’ sugar, for dusting*
180ml strained passion fruit juice (about 10 passion fruits) – I used concentrated bottled juice
20g powdered gelatin
500g caster sugar
2 egg whites
pinch of salt

Generously grease a 17.5x25cm shallow cake pan and dust it liberally with confectioners’ sugar. Combine passion fruit juice and gelatin in a bowl and set aside.

Combine caster sugar and 1 cup (250ml) water in a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves, then increase heat to medium and cook for 5-10 minutes, without stirring, or until syrup reaches 125ºC/257ºF on a sugar thermometer. Remove from heat, add passion fruit mixture to syrup – be careful, there will be some steam coming out of the pan - and stir until gelatin dissolves.
Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites and salt until frothy. Gradually add passion fruit mixture, whisking continuously on medium speed until mixture has doubled in size, then slowly decrease speed and mix until mixture is warm (about 40ºC/104ºF). Pour into prepared cake pan (spread evenly with a lightly oiled spatula, if necessary) then dust top liberally with snow sugar. Stand at room temperature for 3 hours or until firm. Using a sharp knife, cut marshmallow into 2.5cm squares and roll in snow sugar to coat – I turned the whole mixture onto a cutting board lined with baking paper; it was easier to cut the squares.
Store in an airtight container between sheets of baking paper at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

* the original recipe called for “snow sugar”, which they describe as a confectioner’s sugar with a vegetable fat added to prevent the sugar from absorbing moisture and dissolving (available from specialty food stores); I used regular confectioners’ sugar instead and it worked fine.

Makes 54 – I used a 15x25cm pan and got about 70 small marshmallows

43 comments:

Emily said...

Passion fruit marshmallows sound like a great idea! I want one. Did you think they were hard to make? I've never made marshmallows before.

Ann said...

Oh MY, these look incredible! Sugary and addicting and naughty and passion-inspiring. So pretty and elegant too. I've never made marshmallows before, but am now intrigued.

Peter M said...

Whoa, look at these...a tinge of pink from the passion fruit. What's next...Cachaca marshmallows? lol

Katy said...

i've just made marshmallows for the first time this weekend, and i am addicted! they're so fun, and not nearly as hard to make as i thought! i will definitely be trying out new flavors!

Mumsy said...

Um, yes!!!! I would love those! Off to the store to buy more passion fruit concentrate!

(p.s. We like Mormon missionaries!)

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

Great idea! One of these days I will have to try making marshmallows -- I've never made them from scratch.

mari said...

I'm not surprised at all that you were a teacher. And I'll bet you were a great one. Like Lydia, I have not made marshmallows from scratch, but I love those squishy confections and I love passionfruit, so there you go. This recipe's going on the 'TO DO' list. hugs, mari

Peabody said...

What a fun flavor for marshmallows.

Manggy said...

Sigh. Unfortunately I have yet to really taste what those missionaries experienced. The passionfruits here suck! I had passionfruit cream in the States, though, and it was lovely :) I can only imagine how sweetly tart these beauties are!

Susan @ SGCC said...

Those are so pretty! The juice gives them such a lovely color. I'll bet they taste wonderful too!

cookworm said...

I LOVE love love passion fruit. These marshmallows look brilliant!

Anonymous said...

Oh geez these look sweet and yummy. Just so original!

LyB said...

Those are so beautiful, I love the color. I always make marshmallows with gelatin only but I've never tried them with fruit juice, what a great idea!

Anonymous said...

Passion fruit is one of my favourites, would love to try it in marshmellow form. They look delicious and perfect!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful idea! I love tropical fruits and I love homemade marshmallows... so glad to see this post!

Peter G | Souvlaki For The Soul said...

Just too good Patricia! I would love to make these but coat them in shredded coconut....mmmm.

Anonymous said...

I just ADORE passion fruit!!! these look sooo good!

Inne said...

Ooooh, yum! I was sold after reading the title - I love anything passion fruit. Shame it's so expensive here, and we don't have the bottled version (except all the sweetened ad artificially flavoured stuff).

Anonymous said...

Very interesting, I've never heard of passion fruit marshmallow before but yours looks delicious!

Steph said...

I tried Paula Deen's Chocolate Marshmallows once, and they were a disaster. Your marshmallows however do not look like a disaster. They look amazing! What a great taste for a marshmallow!

JB said...

I am jealous. I've had a marshamallow recipe on my "to make" list for so long. This may be the push I need to get it done. Thanks JB

Maggie said...

How wonderful making your own marshmallows.
To buy 10 passionfruit here in the UK would be ridiculously expensive and the passion fruit juice is a more sensible option.
I would love to try one of your marshmallows!

Sarah said...

Yes, please. What a great idea!

pam said...

I've never tried passionfruit, but your marshmallows are so pretty!

test it comm said...

Those passion fruit marshmallows look really good. Making your own marshmallows sounds like fun.

Anonymous said...

Wow!

Paz

Chibog in Chief said...

I used to be a teacher too like you reading this post makes me miss those good old days :-) this is so delicious and creative patricia!! i will have to try making some too!!

Patricia Scarpin said...

Emiline, I did not think they were hard to make and it was my first time making marshmallows. The only thing is one needs a thermometer (and I do). The rest was pretty OK!

Ann, their smell is out of this world.

Pete, caipirinha marshmallows, how is that?? ;)

Katy, I thought marshmallows were a lot difficult to make, and I was so wrong!

Lindsey, yay! I'm glad to hear that, sweetie!
I like Mormon missionaries, too! :)

Lydia, these are not hard to make, my friend.

Mari, you are so kind, thank you! I'm flattered by your comment.
Warm hugs right back at you.

Pea, I thought so too. :)

Mark, they told us that the passion fruit here is a lot different from the one in the US.

Susan, and the smell is great, too!

Cookworm, thank you, darling!

Cathy, I was very intrigued when I saw the recipe.

LyB, I love the color, too!

Linda, I think you would make amazing marshmallows - your candies are always so beautiful!

Ann, I'm glad to hear you like these! Tks, darling!

Pete, I love that idea! Coconut is such a favorite of mine, too.

Tracy, thank you!

Inne, I'm sad to hear that. :(

Bernice, it was a first to me, too, sweetie.

Steph, really? I have never tried any of her recipes, but have heard a lot about her.

JB, I think you would love these, dear.

Margaret, the juice is a lot cheaper here too!

Sarah, tks, darling!

Pam, passion fruit is addictive, be careful. :)

Kevin, it is!

Paz, tks!

Dangghit, I miss those days, too - and I learned so much from my students as well.
Thank you, sweetie!

aforkfulofspaghetti said...

Great idea! I'm not usually that mad about marshmallows - but passionfruit marshmallows? Now, I've got to try those!

RecipeGirl said...

I'm completely envious of your skills in the kitchen. This is an amazing idea. I would love a taste!

Deborah said...

I still have never made homemade marshmallows before, but these look truly amazing!

Anonymous said...

You amaze me, dear! Gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't these be amazing slightly toasted over a campfire with a handful of coconut? So delicious Patricia!

Stella said...

GOsh! that's one exciting marshmallow I've discovered for the first time in my life!

p.s: your lattice coffee cake is stunning, wish I could have a bite for tea!

Elle said...

Those are gorgeous! I've always wanted to try making marshmallows. It's high time I do!

Gloria Baker said...

Passion fruit marshmallows sound wonderful!!! I have to try soon!! xGloria

Helene said...

I love passion fruits but here they are $1.99 for ONE!!! Not one pound, one kilo....just one....passionfruit. So sad!! I bet your friends did love them!! Great idea!

Anonymous said...

oh my goodness, are you serious! wow... how fantastic... i'm going camping in about 2 weeks. i grew up making s'mores with marshmellows, of course. these would be a great substitute to the old marshmellow in a bag!

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Now, those are some classy marshmallows, Patricia!

steph- whisk/spoon said...

Rockpool restaruant, where they serve these as petits fours, was just down the road from our last apartment. My husband says they are the best marshmallows in the world!

Jaime said...

wow, homemade marshmallows! and passionfruit ones at that! mmmm!

Lynne Daley said...

We made these marshmellows in a cooking class at Rathbun's restaurant in Atlanta, Ga and they were unbelievable!

Lynne Daley said...

oops, marshmallows!

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