Healthy Marshmallows? Sounds weird first, but it is possible! Instead of sugar we use organic honey; for the taste we also added some toasted coconut flakes.

Recipe inspired from The Nourishing Gourmet

Please use caution with the hot syrup you make in the recipe. It can cause severe burns if spilled on skin. This makes about 12-16 smallish marshmallows. Double, if desired and use a 9 by 9 pan.

What you need:

2 tbsp. gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup honey

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Lightly grease a loaf pan. Then cover with parchment paper (with enough to hang over the sides of the pan one way), then grease the parchment paper.

2. Put ¼ cup of water in a medium bowl (or in the bowl of a mixer with attached whisk) , and sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Set aside to soften.

3. In a small pot, place the honey, salt, and the other ¼ cup of water. Heat on medium heat. Using a candy thermometer, bring the mixture to 240 degrees. (As I do not have a candy thermometer I only heated it for 7-8 minutes, waiting for the mixture to boil -  You can also test it by dribbling a little of the liquid into a bowl of ice cold water. It should be in the candy stage of forming little soft balls when cooled in the water and taken out. It takes about 7-8 minutes to reach this temperature.). Remove from the heat as soon as it’s at the right  temperature.

4. Using a hand mixer on low, very carefully mix in the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture by pouring the hot syrup in a drizzle down the side of the bowl. Once it’s all combined, add the vanilla and increase speed to high. Beat for 12- 15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and fluffy (it will look like marshmallow fluff). Scrap into the prepared pan and leave, uncovered, for 4-12 hours to dry. It’s just about perfect in my climate when left overnight. Cut into squares, serve as is.

Coconut Version: Toast about 1 cup of coconut flakes, unsweetened. Sprinkle ½ of it on the bottom of the pan, scrap in the marshmallow mixture, and sprinkle with the rest of the coconut flakes.