Tried using whole Marshmallow root, and learned you can’t really pulverize it into a powder with a mortar and pestle and brute strength. Didn’t find any info on how to use it as a gelatin alternative on the Internet anyway, so to begin with I was just experimenting. I tried boiling a cup and half of it, and figured I’d strain it and hope the liquid would be my “gelatin liquid.”

Tried using Date Sugar. Thought it would lend an interesting taste. Turns out it’s not sweet enough, and ends up tasting molasses-y.

Used a whole bean of vanilla. Scooped the bean stuff out and later added it to the egg white fluffing.

I couldn’t find the beaters for my electric mixer, so I couldn’t properly beat my egg whites and had to use a fork instead, which took forever!

The “gelatin liquid” I heated in a heavy skillet with the date sugar until it was all dissolved. The amount of this mixture I’m not sure of, maybe 2 cups worth, but I added all of it (first little by little while beating eggs) at once. This may have been a bad idea, as I don’t really know the rules to fluffing egg whites (maybe I should’ve let the gelatin-sugar mixture cool down?). I was in a “fuck it” attitude at this point, so I whipped and whipped with my fork as long as I could until my mixing bowl runneth over with froth. I pored it all onto a cookie sheet and put it in the over at 325 F for about an hour.

The result was nothing like a marshmallow.

Next time, I will have Marshmallow Root Powder and will learn how to use it. I’m going to try Sucanat for sugar.