With the cool (cooler, coolish) chill in the air, it’s starting to feel like fall here. Which means winter is knocking on the door already. Just in time for the Sugar Plum Ferries and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. Naturally, with all of the sugary sweetness of the Nutcracker, I have for you some gluten-free, dairy-free homemade sugar plum marshmallows.

If you’ve never had a homemade marshmallow, there really is no comparison. The taste, the texture, the pillowy-ness of a homemade marshmallow is what dreams are made of. Well, sweet tooth induced dreams. But, you must give them a try. They aren’t hard to make, just time consuming. And make sure you have a good candy thermometer. You really can’t guess with candy and get good results.

One you’ve gathered all of your ingredients (see recipe below) it’s time to get started!

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Homemade Sugar Plum Marshmallows

Using cooking spray, spay a 9×9 baking dish and set aside for later. This is where you will pour your marshmallow mixture and layers.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the 4 tbsp of unflavored gelatin and cold water. Allow this to sit while moving on to the sugar process.

In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt over high heat.

Once the mixture starts to boil, insert candy thermometer and stir occasionally until the mixture reaches 240 degrees Fahrenheit.

Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly pour the hot mixture into the gelatin mixture from earlier. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 7-9 minutes until the mixture is white and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla

Once you have added the vanilla, split the marshmallow into two bowls. Into one of the bowls, mix in a few drops of pink food coloring.

Pour about 1 1/2 C of white marshmallow into the pan allow to sit for 2 minutes.

After waiting, pour 1 1/2 C of pink marshmallow onto the top of the white to start creating your layers.

Repeat steps with remaining marshmallows allowing time for each layer to settle between.

Once you have your four layers, allow to dry overnight.

The next day, sprinkle a cutting board with powdered sugar.

Flip the marshmallow onto the cutting board and sprinkle more powdered sugar onto the bottom and sides of the marshmallows.

Cut the marshmallows into 2 inch squares and enjoy!

Homemade Sugar Plum MarshmallowsThe Nutcracker and the Four Realms:

All Clara (Mackenzie Foy) wants is a key – a one-of-a-kind key that will unlock a box that holds a priceless gift. A golden thread, presented to her at godfather Drosselmeyer’s (Morgan Freeman) annual holiday party, leads her to the coveted key—which promptly disappears into a strange and mysterious parallel world. It’s there that Clara encounters a soldier named Phillip (Jayden Fowora-Knight), a gang of mice and the regents who preside over three Realms: Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers and Land of Sweets. Clara and Phillip must brave the ominous Fourth Realm, home to the tyrant Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren), to retrieve Clara’s key and hopefully return harmony to the unstable world. Starring Keira Knightley as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Disney’s new holiday feature film “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” is directed by Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston, and inspired by E.T.A. Hoffmann’s classic tale.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms opens everywhere November 2nd.

Print Recipe

Sugar Plum Marshmallows

Ingredients

4 tbsp unflavored powdered gelatin
1 C cold water
2 C sugar
1 C light corn syrup
1/2 C water
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
pink food coloring
1 C powdered sugar for dusting
candy thermometer

Instructions

Using pam cooking spray, spay a 9x9 baking dish and set aside
In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the 4 tbsp of gelatin and cold water.
Allow to sit while you boil the sugar
In a medium pot, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt over high heat
Once the mixture starts to boil, insert candy thermometer and stir occasionally until the mixture reaches 240 degrees
Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly pour in the hot mixture
Increase the speed to medium and beat for 7-9 minutes until the mixture is white and fluffy
Beat in the vanilla
Split the marshmallow into two bowls
Mix in a few drops of pink food coloring into one bowl
Pour about 1 1/2 C of white marshmallow into the pan allow to sit for 2 minutes
Pour 1 1/2 C of pink marshmallow onto the top of the white
Repeat steps with remaining marshmallows
Allow to dry overnight
Sprinkle a cutting board with powdered sugar
Flip over the marshmallow onto the cutting board and sprinkle more powdered sugar onto the bottom and sides
Cut the marshmallows into 2 inch squares and enjoy!