HANDMADE MARSHMALLOWS
3 packets unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda (see my comments below)
3 egg whites
Put 1/4 cup cold water in a shallow soup bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface of the water and let stand 5 minutes to soften. Bring the remaining 3/4 cup water to a boil in a small pot. Turn off the stove and add the gelatin; whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Whisk in the vanilla and Splenda. Chill until the gelatin mixture is cool but not thickened, about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
When the gelatin is ready, beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until they form soft peaks. Slowly drizzle in the gelatin in a thin stream while beating. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy but not dry. Pour into a shallow pan, 6x8" or 8x8". I lined my pan with nonstick foil just to be sure that they would come out later. Chill until set, at least 2-3 hours. Cut into 12 pieces and store in the refrigerator. They will keep for a few days.
Makes 12 servings
Do not freeze
With granular Splenda:
Per Serving: 14 Calories; 0g Fat; 2g Protein; .5g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; .5g Net Carbs
With liquid Splenda:
Per Serving: 12 Calories; 0g Fat; 2g Protein; trace Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; trace net Carbs
I got this recipe from the "Low-Carb Cookworx Cookbook". The texture of these is really more like fluffy "Jell-O Jigglers" rather than real marshmallows, but they make an interesting snack with very few carbs. Although these are fine for snacking, don't attempt to melt or toast them like real marshmallows. They just turn back to liquid when heated. I think they need a lot more sweetener so I would double it next time. If I do make them again, I might try using part French vanilla Da Vinci syrup in place of some of the water for a bit more flavor and sweetness. If you're using liquid Splenda, doubling it won't affect the carb count, but if you must use granular Splenda, here are the adjusted counts:
Per Serving: 16 Calories; 0g Fat; 2g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 1g Net Carbs