Ingredients

Serves 12

Raspberry Muffins

Makes 12

4 eggs
180 ml vegetable oil
270 g caster sugar
360 g plain flour
Pinch table salt
1 tsp bicarb
2 tsp baking powder
275 ml sour cream
250g raspberries


Marshmallows

Makes 64 cubes

100g icing sugar
100g cornflour
10 sheets gold leaf gelatine
240ml water
450g castor sugar
1 tbsp liquid glucose
2 large egg whites
½ tsp raspberry flavouring
4 drops red food colouring

Method

Raspberry Muffins
Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Place 12 paper cases into a muffin tray.

Using an electric mixer. beat the eggs and sugar with a whisk attachment until the mixture  whitens and thickens. Sift the flour, salt, bicarb and baking powder together. On a low speed slowly drizzle in the oil and the flour mix. Mix until incorporated, then add the sour cream, mix for 1 minute to ensure all the ingredients are combined.

Add fruit or flavouring of choice and gently stir in.

Spoon in the mixture to just below the top the muffin cases.  Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and cool in the pan.


Marshmallows
Sieve the icing sugar and cornflour into a large bowl and set aside. Lightly oil a shallow 28 x 22 x 3.5 cm (20 cm cake tin also works) baking tray and dust generously with the sieved icing sugar and cornflour. Tip the excess sugar and flour back into the bowl. Soak the gelatine in 140ml cold water.

Meanwhile place the sugar, glucose and remaining water into a medium heavy-based pot and place a sugar thermometer into the sugar syrup. Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil stirring to dissolve the sugar and brushing the inside of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming and cook for about 12-15 minutes until the mixture reaches 127°C.

When the syrup is up to temperature, carefully slide in the softened gelatine and the soaking water. The syrup will bubble up a little so take care not to burn yourself.  Gently swirl the pan until the gelatine has dissolved.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites until stiff, preferably with an electric whisk in a mixing bowl until stiff. Continue whisking while slowly pouring the hot syrup in a gentle stream. The mixture will become shiny and start to thicken. Add the raspberry flavouring and red food colouring and continue to whisk until the mixture cools and is stiff, thick and glossy. This should take about 6 – 8 minutes to reach the right consistency.

Using a flexible spatula, scoop the mixture into the prepared tin and quickly smooth the top surface with a wet palette knife. Gently dust the top with about 2 tbsp of the leftover icing sugar and cornflour mixture. Leave for approximately 2 hours in a cool place to set until it is firm and springy to touch.

Dust the work surface with icing sugar and cornflour. Loosen the marshmallow around the sides of the tray with a palette knife, and invert the tray over the dusted surface and gently tease from one edge of the tray until it slowly releases. Using a hot knife dipped in water and dried, cut into squares and toss gently in the remaining sugar and cornflour until well coated.