Pour half (½ cup) of the water into the bowl of a stand mixer and pour the gelatin on top to bloom. It will take about 10 minutes to fully bloom.
In the meantime, add the second ½ cup of water, honey, and salt into a small pot on the stovetop with a candy thermometer. Toggle the heat between medium to high, also avoid stirring the mixture after the first minute to prevent the mixture from boiling over. You want the temperature to get between 230°-240°F (110-115° C), this will take an estimate of 10-14 minutes.
Turn the stand mixer on low to mix the gelatin, and slowly pour the honey mixture into the stand mixer. Slowly increase the speed to high and whip until the mixture has reached “peak” meaning your mixture will look and feel like pure marshmallow fluff. This takes an estimate of 6-10 minutes, in the last minute add in the marshmallow root powder, and vanilla bean powder.
During the 6-10 minutes your marshmallows are beating, prepare a 9x9 pan with parchment paper. Dust the parchment paper with half (¼ cup) of the arrowroot powder.
When the marshmallow is at its peak, quickly scoop it into the pan and flatten the top with an offset spatula. Dust the rest of the arrowroot powder onto the top of the parchment paper.
Gently place parchment paper over the 9x9 pan, and let the marshmallow set overnight.
The following day, take out the parchment paper by flipping the pan over onto a cutting board. Take off the parchment paper from the marshmallow, and use a sharp knife to cut the marshmallows into squares.
Enjoy the marshmallows right away, or place them into a glass jar and store them in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Notes
Agar agar powder can be used as a gelatin substitute in recipes at a 1:1 ratio. I haven't tested for this recipe, but if you prefer a vegetarian or vegan marshmallow it's a possible option.
For a vegan option, you could use maple syrup or try this homemade vegan honey (along with agar agar for the gelatin) as a substitute. I haven’t tested it in this recipe, but I can say it’s a good honey alternative!
These marshmallows are best to enjoy fresh yet still very enjoyable as time goes on.
Try roasting them over a fire, using them for s’mores or natural cereal treats, adding them to hot chocolate, or just snacking on their own.