Ingredients
Method
1.Lightly oil a shallow, 20cm square tin and line the base and two sides with baking paper. Oil the paper lightly then sift in 1 Tbsp of cornflour and shake the tin to distribute it evenly. Turn the tin upside down over the sink and knock base to remove excess cornflour.
2.Put the gelatine and 150ml of the hot water into a large mixing bowl. Stir until the gelatine dissolves, then add the peppermint essence. Sit the bowl in a sink of hot water to keep the gelatine warm while you make the sugar syrup.
3.Put the remaining hot water with the sugar and liquid glucose into a heavy-based saucepan and set over a low heat, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Turn up heat, bring to a fast boil and boil, without stirring, for 7-8 minutes until a little of the syrup forms a firm ball dropped into a cup of cold water (I use a wooden chopstick for this). If you have a sugar thermometer it should read 130°C.
4.While the syrup is cooking, beat the egg white until soft peaks form then set aside. Pour the hot syrup carefully into the gelatine mixture and whisk with an electric beater. After 1 minute stop whisking and tip in the egg white. Whisk again for 3-4 minutes until the marshmallow is white and thick and falls gently from the beaters. It should still be pourable, not stiff.
5.Pour into the tin and quickly dot the top with drops of red food colouring – use a chopstick or a dropper.
6.Pull a skewer through the colouring to make marbled swirls and spirals.
7.Leave the marshmallow to set at room temperature for at least 4 hours then turn it out onto a board dusted with cornflour.
8.Sift the icing sugar and 2 Tbsp cornflour together. Using a long, oiled knife or oiled scissors, cut the marshmallow into strips and then across into squares. Roll squares in the icing sugar mixture.
9.Store in a tin at room temperature.
You can buy liquid glucose at specialty kitchen shops.
Note
