Pisco Sour Marshmallows

Pisco Sour Marshmallows

Molecular mixology can be intimidating, and while many recipes call for special ingredients and tools to create foams, spheres, and pearls, there is one thing you can do to transform a cocktail using simple ingredients from your pantry — you can make a marshmallow. All you need is some Pisco, gelatin, egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, and you are in business. Presenting, the Pisco Sour Marshmallow, a molecular mixology version of the National Drink of Peru, just in time for World Pisco Sour Day, cheers!

INGREDIENTS FOR GELATIN MIXTURE

• 3 oz. Barsol Italia Pisco macerated with juniper berries
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 2 packets unflavored gelatin powder, about 2 tablespoons
• 2 oz. cold water

INGREDIENTS FOR SYRUP MIXTURE

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup corn syrup

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS

• 2 egg whites
• cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup corn starch
• canola oil
• lemon and lime zest
• Angostura bitters

In addition to the ingredients above you’ll need an 8″ x 8″ baking pan about 2″ deep, an oil atomizer, 2 saucepans, a candy thermometer, mixing bowls, and an electric mixer with a whipping attachment.

PREPARATION

1. Sift 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 cup corn starch into a bowl and mix well
2. Spray canola oil on baking pan bottom and sides, and dust pan with powdered sugar and corn starch mixture to cover completely
3. Whip 2 egg whites plus 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form
4. Combine ingredients for gelatin mixture in a saucepan, stir and let rest
5. Combine ingredients for syrup mixture in a large saucepan, stir and heat until temperature reaches 240°F, remove from heat and let cool
6. While syrup mixture is cooling, heat gelatin mixture on low and stir until gelatin dissolves
7. When syrup mixture cools to 210°F, combine syrup and gelatin mixture in a bowl plus 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, whip for 10 mins until bowl is cool to the touch and mixture is thick and creamy
8. Scoop egg whites into bowl with syrup and gelatin mixture and fold in egg whites, mix well with a spatula
9. Pour mixture into baking pan, smooth top with a spatula if needed and dust top with powdered sugar and corn starch mixture
10. Let sit uncovered overnight, carefully remove from pan, and cut into 1″ x 1″ squares
11. Dust marshmallows pieces with powdered sugar and store in airtight containers until ready to serve
12. To serve, add a drop of Angostura bitters on the bottom of a marshmallow and garnish with lemon or lime zest on top

SERVINGS

64 bite-size serving

NOTES

To make the Pisco maceration, I used a Sansaire sous vide machine and a mason jar filled to the brim with 1 cup of Barsol Italia Pisco and 4 juniper berries. The sealed jar was submerged in a water bath at room temperature, and the target temperature was set to 75°C. Once the target temperature was reached, I let the Pisco macerate for 1 hour. After removing the jar from the bath, and letting cool, I strained the Pisco into an airtight jar.

The inspiration for this cocktail came from recipes by Liquor.com and Molecular Recipes. After some experimentation in the Pisco Lab, I ended up with a recipe that combined some of the principles from recipes by David Leibovitz and Deb Perlman. The key is to whip the syrup and gelatin mixtures separate from the egg whites, and then fold them together. The ratios for Pisco, lime, and water are my own, and the addition of juniper berries in the Pisco maceration add a hint of aromatics.

If the bottom of the marshmallows are moist after removing from pan, turn upside down and let dry for a few hours. After cutting and dusting the marshmallow cubes with powdered sugar, you can refrigerate them in airtight containers for up to one week.