M is for...

MARSHMALLOWS!

This was a very nerve-wracking experience for me so I thought I'd do another 'What runs through my head when I'm...' about it.

Ok, marshmallows! I'm going to make marshmallows! This will be amazing! Marshmallows. I can't wait. Ok, the recipe. Nervous! Nervous! Ok, concentrate.

Sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat it to 216 degrees! What?! That's so hot. Ok, jam thermometer, in it goes. In the meantime, whisk egg whites. I'd better do that now! Quickly before the sugar heats up! O goodness, it's a race against time. Crack the eggs in, whip them up, ok, phew, done.

The. Sugar. Is. Taking. Ages. It's been forever. The egg whites are settling a bit. Should've done them later. Why is it taking so long to heat up? O, wait a minute, the end of the thermometer has been touching the bottom of the pan, not the liquid! O no, I think I may have overheated it?! Quick quick! Get whisking the egg whites, pour in the sugar syrup. I think I burned it. Great. I think it's burned. What do I do? I've just wasted all that sugar and those eggs now. Right, just keep going and see what happens.

It's definitely burned.

Whisk, whisk, whisk. Dammit. Omygoodness, everything in the bowl just suddenly mixed together and swelled up and became one huge marshmallow! One huge bowl-shaped marshmallow. Amazing. I still think it's burnt, I'll just keep going and see if you can taste it after they've set.

Put half in a baking tray. Roll raspberries in icing sugar and cornflour and dot them over the marshmallow mixture. Other half of the marshmallow mix on top. O no, it's sticking and the raspberries are going all over the place. Never mind. Just splodge it all on and hope it settles. Leave it for an hour and a half to set now.

Ok, hour and a half up. I'm definitely nervous again. Let me just turn it out of the tray. It's stuck!! It's stuck. I have the tray upside down and I am shaking it around like crazy. It's stuck. Hmm. Calm down, calm down. Think. Spatula, slide round the edges, help it a little bit. Phew, it's coming out, in one piece. A miracle! Loads and loads of icing sugar and cornflour and it's sticking to me and to everything in sight.

Ok, breathe, calm. Cut into squares. Icing sugar. Cornflour. It doesn't look burnt. I still think it might be. Taste one. O thank goodness! Not burnt. I knew it'd be fine. I knew all along. Phew. Need to get a second opinion. I wonder if any of my neighbours in. Fill tupperware with marshmallows and find friends to get an opinion from.

That was fun. I think I'll do some more soon.