If you've been following me on twitter, or facebook, or instagram, or anywhere else where I''m allowed to brag, really, you're probably aware that I had my first taste of being published in a newspaper yesterday. I spent the morning imagining elderly silver- haired ladies in their starched sarees, sitting down with cups of chai, smiling over my piece on marshmallows, cutting out the recipe and making a mental note to try it out when the grandkids are home for the summer. Every now and then however, my day-dream would fall off its high horse and I'd wonder if maybe they didn't save the recipe, and instead tore out the page to light a fire to cook the afternoon rice? Oh, the travesty.
When I wrote my first piece a couple of years ago, a fellow writer told me that when you're a writer, although the work is often grueling, and the pay terrible, the day you see your name in print, you're hooked for life. When I opened up the BLink supplement yesterday and saw a big picture of the marshmallows mum and I had made together with my article below it, I knew he was onto something. It also helps that I get to work with the sort of editors that every writer dreams of working with. Enthusiastic, laid back and most importantly, editors who don't edit out your favourite lines in the piece (!!!).
In case you'd like to read the article, head over here.
Rose Marshmallow
Makes 25-30 pieces
Ingredients:
¼ cup + ¼ cup water
4 tsp gelatin
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup corn syrup
½ tsp rose extract
Pink food colouring, according to preference
¼ cup icing sugar
¼ cup corn starch
Method:
In a large mixing bowl, pour ¼ cup water and add the gelatin to it and let it soak until the sugar syrup is ready.
In a pan, heat ¼ cup water, sugar and corn syrup on a low flame. Keep stirring until the sugar is completely melted (make sure the sugar is completely melted before it comes to a boil, or else it will crystallize).
Once the syrup reaches 115 degrees Celcius, or the hardball stage, take it off the heat.
Now pour the hot syrup in a thin stream onto the gelatin mixture and start beating it with a beater set to medium-low.
Once all the syrup has been added, increase the speed to high, and beat it until it is stiff white and glossy. The volume will have doubled at this point.
Add the essence and beat again. Now add the colour with a tooth pick or a skewer and swirl it in through the mixture.
Pour the mixture into a 7-inch square tin that has been prepared by lining with tin foil and greasing with a thin layer of vegetable oil.
Let it set at room temperature for 5-6 hours.
Cut into 1 ½ inch squares, and dust with the mixture of the cornstarch and icing sugar.
Store in an airtight container.