Marshmallows are a pretty sticky item, and will stick to anything they touch – your hair, hands, or clothing; countertops, pans, spatulas, or even silicon or parchment. Fortunately it dissolves easily in water, so cleanup is a breeze.
But because it is so sticky, you need to make sure that the pan or mold you are using for curing the marshmallows is lightly coated with nonstick spray, and then gently wiped with a paper towel so that only a thin film is left. If you leave more than that on the pan it will discolor the marshmallows.
You can use a knife, scissors, or pizza wheel to cut the marshmallows, and if you would like fancy shapes, you can use cookie cutters. (Be sure the cutters are at least as deep as the marshmallows you want to cut.) Whatever you decide to use, make sure to coat it with a non-stick spray and gently wipe it.
You will need to wash and re-coat the cutting utensil at least a few times while cutting the marshmallows.
Sprinkle the cutting surface with marshmallow coating (recipes can be found in the book) and turn the slab of cured marshmallow onto the coated surface.
I find it easiest to use a metal ruler and pizza wheel to cut marshmallows, but try different cutting utensils and use the one that works best for you.
You can keep most marshmallows for at least a week, and if stored properly, they can be eaten even after a few weeks.
Marshmallows like to breathe, but they don’t like to be left out in the open. Put them in a plastic container and place the lid on, but don’t completely seal it. If you are using a plastic bag to store them, put a few tiny holes in the bag with a pin.
If you are going to pipe marshmallows, be sure to put the marshmallow batter into the piping bag right after its finished beating. (You can also put it into a ziptop plastic bag and cut one of the corners.)
Prepare the piping surface by spraying it with a non-stick coating and wiping gently with a paper towel.
Practice piping ahead of time if you are going to use piped marshmallows for a special occasion.
Make sure you don’t put more marshmallow batter into the bag than you can handle. You need to be able to twist the end of the bag so the pressure on the batter remains strong. Set the tip of the bag onto the prepared surface and gently squeeze the bag
