Put the gelatine into the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (see GH tip) and add 125ml (4fl oz) cold water. Leave to soak while you make the sugar syrup.
Step 2
Put the sugar, golden syrup, a pinch of salt and 125ml (4fl oz) water into a medium pan and heat over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Turn up the heat and bubble, carefully swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture reaches 240°F (or 115°C) on a sugar thermometer.
Step 3
Turn on the freestanding mixer to a low speed and gradually add the hot sugar syrup. Turn up the mixer to high and continue beating until the mixture is very thick and white about 10-12min (set a timer to make sure the mixture is thick enough).
Step 4
Meanwhile, generously dust a rough 20.5cm x 30.5cm (8in x 12in) non-metallic serving dish with sifted icing sugar.
Step 5
When the marshmallow mixture is ready, beat in the vanilla and (if using) enough pink/red food colouring to get your desired shade. Scrape into the dish and gently level. Dust the top with more sifted icing sugar and allow to stand overnight at room temperature.
Step 6
Put some icing sugar into a medium bowl, ready for dusting the marshmallows. Slice round the edges of the dish to release the marshmallow on to a board (you might need to peel it out). Cut (or snip) into 2.5cm (1in) squares. Working a few at a time, toss the squares into the icing sugar bowl to coat and transfer to a container or bags. Complete until all marshmallows are dusted.
Step 7
To store:
Make up to a month ahead. Either slice, dust in icing sugar and store in an airtight container at room temperature or store unsliced in the serving dish (covered in clingfilm). To gift, slice and dust with icing sugar (if needed), then bag or box.
GH Tip
If you don't have a freestanding mixer, then make the marshmallows in a very large heatproof bowl using a handheld electric whisk. Whisk soaked gelatine and hot sugar mixture until very thicken and the mixture holds its shape - about 13min (set a timer so that you don't underwhisk). Complete recipe.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
