Kitchen Recipe Collection
Sri Lankan Bakery Marshmallows
Soft, pillowy cubes of aerated sugar, traditionally colored pink and white, heavily dusted in icing sugar. A nostalgic bakery favorite.
- Prep
- 240 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 260 min
- Servings
- 30
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- sri lankan
Ingredients
Scaled for 30 servings
- sugar
- water
- unflavored gelatin powder
- vanilla extract
- pink food coloring
- icing sugar (for dusting)
- cornflour (for dusting)
Equipment
- Stand mixer (or electric hand whisk)
- Saucepan
- Baking tin
Instructions
- 1
Bloom Gelatin
Sprinkle the gelatin over cold water and let it sit for 10 minutes to bloom (soften).
- 2
Boil Sugar
Boil the sugar and water until it reaches the soft ball stage (115°C/240°F). Remove from heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until dissolved.
- 3
Whip
Carefully pour the hot syrup into a stand mixer bowl. Whip on high speed for 10-15 minutes until the mixture triples in volume, turns stark white, and becomes thick and fluffy.
- 4
Flavor & Color
Beat in the vanilla. If making pink marshmallows, fold in a few drops of food coloring.
- 5
Set
Pour immediately into a tin heavily dusted with a mix of icing sugar and cornflour. Dust the top as well. Let it set at room temperature for at least 4 hours before cutting into cubes.
Cooking Tips
- A stand mixer is highly recommended as whipping boiling sugar syrup with a hand mixer for 15 minutes is tiring and potentially dangerous.
- Never put marshmallows in the fridge to set; the humidity will make them weep and turn sticky.
Variations
- Two-Tone Marshmallows: Pour half the white mixture into the tin, color the remaining half pink, and pour it on top before it sets.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- These have a uniquely chewy, dense texture compared to mass-produced Western marshmallows.
Nutrition Estimate
60 calories · 1g protein · 15g carbs · 0g fat · 0g fiber per serving
