Ginger and Sesame Marshmallows

I’d never been that fussed about marshmallows until I made proper homemade ones. Great as homemade gifts, petits fours, or just to have around when you’re in need of a sweet treat.

Swap ins: You need all of the ingredients from the list but you could use a combination of white and black sesame seeds if you have them. White caster/ superfine sugar is also fine. Leftovers:

Chop up the marshmallows and add them to a rocky road!

Makes 16. Time 35 minutes, plus overnight setting

7 gelatine leaves

1 tbsp liquid glucose

1¼ cups golden caster/superfine

sugar

100ml plus 1 tbsp water

1 lemon wedge

3 egg whites

4 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch 2 tbsp sesame seeds

¼ tsp sea salt

100g stem ginger, drained

and finely chopped

1½ tbsp stem ginger syrup

1 tbsp icing/confectioners’ sugar

Add the gelatine leaves to a bowl of cold water to soften.

Put the liquid glucose, sugar and water into a small saucepan and let dissolve over a low heat. Once dissolved, increase the heat to medium-high and let it bubble away until the liquid reaches 125ºC (use a sugar thermometer for this).

Wipe the inside of a stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment with the lemon wedge to remove any traces of grease, then add the egg whites. Whisk on a medium setting to start, then increase to high until stiff peaks form. Continue whisking on high and gradually pour in the hot sugar syrup, taking care to avoid too much splatter on the side of the bowl. Next, add the soft gelatine leaves (squeezing out any excess water with your hands before you add to the bowl) and let the marshmallow mixture whisk for a further 10 minutes, until the bowl feels cool on the outside and the marshmallow looks glossy.

Put 3 tablespoons of the cornflour/starch into a greased 20cm brownie pan. Shake the pan around to coat the surface with the cornflour/starch, then tap on the work surface to let the excess settle on the base.

Toast the sesame seeds in a small frying pan over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Once golden, transfer to a small bowl to cool.

Once the marshmallow has had 10 minutes, add the sea salt, stem ginger and syrup to the bowl and whisk on a low speed for a further 30 seconds.

Transfer the marshmallow mixture to the prepared brownie pan and sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top. Leave to set overnight (or for at least 4 hours) in a cool, dry place, but not in the fridge.

Once the marshmallow is set, mix the remaining cornflour/starch and the sugar together and sprinkle onto a clean surface. Slice into 16 pieces and gently toss in the cornflour/sugar mix to lightly coat the sides. Seal in an airtight container and consume within 3 days.

Core and quarter the apple and thinly slice each quarter lengthways. Halve the lemon and then squeeze some juice over the apple slices.

Once the vegetables have had 8 minutes, remove from the oven and tip the kale on top, then spread out. Return to the oven for another 10–12 minutes, until the kale is crispy, but not burnt.

Add the apple slices, rocket/arugula, extra virgin olive oil, grated Parmesan and a good squeeze of lemon juice to the salad bowl and set aside. Once the greens are ready, let them cool down on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then add to the salad bowl and toss well to combine. Season to taste and serve.