My marshmallow fluff turned out pretty well, but I had some difficulty. Some of the sugar syrup crystalized or solidified--my error was in pouring the stream such that it came in contact with the metal mixing bowl prior to the egg whites. (I rested the lip of the pot with the syrup on the edge of the mixing bowl; the syrup ran down the inner curve of the metal bowl before reaching the egg whites in the bottom of the bowl. That must have cooled off the syrup. I knew there was a problem because my stand mixer started kind of rocking. I poured the remaining syrup more into the middle of the bowl. So I was able to get marshmallow fluff, though I did fish out a large piece--and a few small pieces--of solidified syrup afterwards. Next time, I'd be careful to pour the stream of syrup directly into the beaten egg whites...not allow it to come in contact with the metal bowl first--or at least not to the same extent! The other things I want to mention are that I was kind of surprised the extent to which the sugar/corn syrup darkened as it reached 240 degrees. I used a candy thermometer and removed it promptly when it got to 240. Also I “pasteurized” the eggs the day prior—followed another website’s directions for that (140 degrees for 3 minutes, I think). Finally, I got substantially less yield than some people. The fluff is glossy and thick—but maybe it would have increased in volume with additional beating. Or maybe my “pasteurized” eggs caused less yield—they did form soft peaks nicely, unlike another commentator’s store-bought pasteurized eggs, fwiw.
August 23, 2022 at 1:00am
My marshmallow fluff turned out pretty well, but I had some difficulty. Some of the sugar syrup crystalized or solidified--my error was in pouring the stream such that it came in contact with the metal mixing bowl prior to the egg whites. (I rested the lip of the pot with the syrup on the edge of the mixing bowl; the syrup ran down the inner curve of the metal bowl before reaching the egg whites in the bottom of the bowl. That must have cooled off the syrup. I knew there was a problem because my stand mixer started kind of rocking. I poured the remaining syrup more into the middle of the bowl. So I was able to get marshmallow fluff, though I did fish out a large piece--and a few small pieces--of solidified syrup afterwards. Next time, I'd be careful to pour the stream of syrup directly into the beaten egg whites...not allow it to come in contact with the metal bowl first--or at least not to the same extent! The other things I want to mention are that I was kind of surprised the extent to which the sugar/corn syrup darkened as it reached 240 degrees. I used a candy thermometer and removed it promptly when it got to 240. Also I “pasteurized” the eggs the day prior—followed another website’s directions for that (140 degrees for 3 minutes, I think). Finally, I got substantially less yield than some people. The fluff is glossy and thick—but maybe it would have increased in volume with additional beating. Or maybe my “pasteurized” eggs caused less yield—they did form soft peaks nicely, unlike another commentator’s store-bought pasteurized eggs, fwiw.