Toasted Marshmallow Fluff
I originally made this toasted marshmallow fluff recipe to ribbon it through my No Churn S’mores Ice Cream. I quickly realized it’s a recipe unto itself. Toasting and mixing the charred, roasted flavor throughout the marshmallow fluff make it perfect for so many pastry/dessert applications (see FAQs) where you want consistent roasted marshmallow flavor but also a smooth texture. Next time you make a fall treat consider adding fluff to it!
Get the Recipe: Toasted Marshmallow Fluff
Ingredients
- 1 large egg white, (approx. 30g)
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Equipment
- Measuring spoons
- measuring Cups
- 1 kitchen scale optional
- 1 food or candy thermometer able to reach 240℉ (115.5°C)
- 1 Small Sauce Pot
- 1 Stand mixer with whisk attachment
- 1 butane kitchen torch
- 1 spatula
Instructions
- First, add the egg white and cream of tarter to a stand mixer and begin mixing on a med-low setting. Then, add the sugar, corn syrup, and water to a small sauce pot and give it a quick stir to combine. Turn the burner to between medium-high and let the mixture heat up until most of the sugar is melted and the syrup begins to bubble. (Do NOT stir the mixture once the heat is on. Too much agitation by outside objects could make the syrup seize)
- Next, turn the heat higher a bit at a time to bring the syrup to 240°F (115.5°C) Once reached, immediately move the pan from the burner.
- Keep an eye on the egg white while the syrup heats. It should have increased in volume and become an opaque white. You should be able to visibly see individual bubbles in the whipped foam. Texturally, you are looking for what would be just before soft peaks. Now, switch on the stand mixer to the lowest setting and very slowly pour the HOT syrup into the mixer.
- When combined, you can begin turning up your mixer to a higher speed. Let your mixer run until the bubbles disappear into a glossy and thick, yet slightly soupy, viscosity. As the mixer incorporates air into the marshmallow fluff it will increase in volume even more.
- Around the time that the fluff stays mostly inside the whisk attachment when you lift the stand mixer head, and only slightly ribbons down, add the vanilla extract and the salt. Mix until just combined and then begin roasting the fluff with a butane torch. To do this, I simply lift the stand mixer’s head up, torch the fluff caught there, lower the whisk, turn on the mixer for 5-10 seconds at medium speed, and then repeat the process until you are happy with the fluff’s flavor (see FAQ on flavor) and it has whipped to stiff peaks. The marshmallow fluff will go from white to a lightly beige/gray color and will have flecks of char studding throughout.
Notes
- Make sure whatever thermometer you are using for the marshmallow fluff is well cleaned and fully dry before putting it in the syrup. If you are using a candy thermometer, attach it before you turn on the burner.
- If you want to use purchased marshmallow fluff instead of making it, do it! Toast the pre-made fluff and return it to the jar after it has cooled.
- For extra toasty flavor: When the marshmallow fluff is close to stiff peaks, torch the fluff for a few more rounds and put the mixer on the slowest setting for 5-10 seconds between rounds. The roasted bits will stay more intact in the fluff. YUM!
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Store the roasted fluff in an airtight container for up to one week at room temperature or 3 weeks in the refrigerator. Or, for a more spreadable consistency, make sure to let the refrigerated fluff come back up to room temperature before using it.
A hand mixer will work perfectly fine. I would be remiss, however, if I did not mention two things:
1. It will take longer as a hand mixer’s speed and power are less than a stand mixer.
2. YOU MUST BE FAR MORE CAREFUL with the butane torch if you are using a hand mixer. Make sure you never direct the torch towards your hand. Instead remove the mixer before toasting the fluff in your bowl. Make sure the bowl you are using is metal and you have some kind of glove on if you need to hold the bowl while mixing. It will get hot because of metal’s conductivity. Please be safe when using open flame in your kitchen.
Adding an acid, like cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate), to egg whites helps stabilize the egg proteins and makes them more resistant to breakdown, drying out, and graininess. Bye-bye weeping, both the foam and me!
If you over mix eggs whites, the proteins will crowd and “weep”, mostly water as they destabilize. Here’s the egg white circle of life:
1. The foam created from whisking will go from large translucent bubbles to small opaque ones.
2. The volume will increase, and the egg white foam will get visibly glossy as the bubbles get smaller and form soft peaks.
3. The volume will continue to increase as the egg white proteins become more structured and form stiff peaks.
4. The structure will break down and the bubbles will once again begin enlarging. The foam will turn grainy and matte, and you will see foam floating around on top the liquid pushed out of the foam structure.
If you see signs of bubbles or graininess immediately stop whisking and assess. If you are making something high in sugar like a meringue or marshmallow, you can still probably use the egg whites, as the sugar will emulsify and re-stabilize the structure. However, if you see any splitting, stop and start over.
Good thing this recipe has cream of tartar. huh?
The easy answer is, as long as you want.
The long answer is, it depends on what you are using it for and how strong you want the flavor to be. If you plan to use the marshmallow fluff mixed in with other flavorful ingredients, like dark chocolate, it could overwhelm the flavor of the fluff if it’s not toasted enough. The same goes for cold applications. A lot of the char tastes comes from the toasted aroma of the marshmallow. The colder it gets the less aroma there is and the weaker the flavor.
In these kinds of cases, toast more than you think you should. You could also follow the tip in the notes section and leave chunks of toasted marshmallow intact for condensed sections of flavor.
There are so many things you can do with toasted marshmallow fluff! Here are some ideas:
1. Top fall beverages: For starters, add a few spoonfuls of toasted marshmallow fluff to the top of a mug of hot chocolate or your latest pumpkin spiced latte for a whole new cozy experience.
2. Swirl into desserts: Additionally, lots of desserts could benefit from a toasted marshmallow swirl, like peanut butter brownies or no-bake pumpkin, chocolate, or plain cheesecake (OMG YUM). And, of course, we can’t forget my no-churn s’mores ice cream.
3. Make all the no-bake s’mores desserts: Next, melt some chocolate and mix in the marshmallow fluff for a s’mores dip. Use graham crackers as a dip vessel. Furthermore, you can upgrade rice crispy treats by using toasted marshmallow fluff instead of melted marshmallows. Then, toss in chocolate morsels and crushed Biscoff cookies for an added twist.
4. Garnish cupcakes and pies: Finally, can you imagine a slice of pumpkin pie with a dollop of toasted marshmallow fluff on top? Yeah?! Me too! Or how about chocolate cupcakes with a cookie butter center and marshmallow fluff frosting? Incredible!
However you choose to use toasted marshmallow fluff, it’s sure to be delicious!
