Marshmallow slice recipe

Good old-fashioned marshmallow slice is one of those treats that remains as popular today as it was fifty years ago – let’s be honest, what’s not to love about shortbread and pink marshmallow? Whether you’re a child or a child-at-heart, there’s something about it that just makes you want to sink your teeth into a slice.

Luckily marshmallow slice is nice and simple to make – all you need is a good shortbread slice base and a reliable marshmallow recipe to use at the topping. That’s where this recipe comes in.

The shortbread base is wonderfully easy to make – it’s truly as simple as tossing the ingredients into a bowl and mixing them into a dough. Pop it in a lined pan, bake for 15 minutes and you’re done! It can’t get much easier than that.

The marshmallow does take longer but is well worth the extra time and effort involved – the topping of this slice is as good as any artisan marshmallow you’ll find at a boutique store. While making marshmallow from scratch does take a bit of extra time, as soon as you take your first bite of fresh, fluffy homemade marshmallow you’ll never look back.

Once set simply sprinkle with hundreds and thousands, then serve along with a cup of freshly brewed tea in your favourite tea cup (this Trelise Cooper one is beautiful!) – enjoy!

Makes approx 70 squares

Ingredients

Base

1. 300g butter, softened
2. 150g caster sugar
3. 150g fine semolina
4. 300g plain flour

Marshmallow

1. 500g sugar
2. 4 tsp glucose syrup
3. 2 Tbsp gelatine powder
4. 2 egg whites
5. 2 tsp peppermint essence
6. Red food colouring
7. Sprinkles (optional)

Method

Base

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Line a lamington pan with baking paper.
2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until a smooth dough forms.
3. Press into prepared pan. Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan.

Marshmallow

1. Place 200ml of water in a bowl and sprinkle with gelatine. Set aside.
2. Place sugar, glucose and 200ml of water in a large saucepan. Place on low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and insert sugar thermometer. Boil for 3-5 minutes until the mixture reaches 120 degrees Celsius.
4. Remove from heat and carefully add gelatine mixture. Whisk until gelatine dissolves and no lumps remain.
5. Place egg whites in a large bowl and beat with whisk attachment on high until foamy. Gradually add hot sugar syrup while mixing.
6. Continue to beat on high until white and glossy – about 5 min with stand mixer, 10 with hand mixer. Beat 1-2 drops red food colouring through mixture.
7. Pour over prepared shortbread base and leave to set (approx. 24 hours).
8. Top with sprinkles and cut into slices.