Guimauve, as defined in Larousse's French-English Dictionary, is marshmallow. In the Larousse Gastronomique 1988 edition, Marsh Mallow is a medicinal plant. The root of the Altheaea offecinalis is sweet tasting and the "mucilage from the roots was formerly used to make the spongy sweets known as marshmallows". (657) Interesting info. You can find modern recipes with sugar/gelatin or sugar/egg white bases.

The recipe below incorporates sugar with other ingredients to recreate the delicate, white fluffs that come to mind when thinking of "marshmallows." I'm also including a link to a recipe in French, for european-style marshmallows. The list of ingredients include egg whites. The recipe is in French, and there is a series of flags at the top of the webpage with translation choices (British flag for English). Note: the translation in English is quite amusing (translation programs are never that good), so if you are unfamiliar with French, arm yourself with a French dictionary.

Cooked Marshmallows
This recipe is adapted from The Complete Wilton Book of Candy. This recipe is a sugar/gelatin base.

2 T plain gelatin
1/2 c water, cold
2 c sugar
3/4 c light corn syrup
3/4 c water, hot
2 t vanilla
1/4 c powdered sugar
1/4 c cornstarch

Prep: Lining an 8" square pan with parchment.

Sprinkle the plain gelatin over the cold water in the bowl of a stand-up mixer, stir, then let set while the sugar syrup is coming to temp. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and the hot water in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan. Place over high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Wash down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in water and place candy thermometer in pan. Then without stirring, bring to 245°F or 118°C. If sugar crystals should develop on the sides, wash down with the wetted brush. Set mixer to highest speed then reduce speed to slowly pour in the hot syrup into the gelatin in a steady stream to prevent the sugar from flying, then resume the high speed when all the syrup is added. Beat for about 15 minutes or until ribbon samples dropped off beaters retain their shape. Add in the vanilla. Using a rubber scraper, remove mixture from bowl into prepared pan. Make level and let firm overnight at room temperature. Sift powdered sugar and cornstarch together onto a cookies sheet with 1 inch sides. With a damp metal spatula, loosen sides of the marshmallow then turn out onto the powdered sugar mixture. Dampen a paper towel and lay on top of the parchment paper that is on the marshmallow. Leave on a few minutes to help loosen the paper, then peel off. Heap on the powdered sugar mixture, shake off, then cut the marshmallow square into desired width strips using a serrated knife dipped in cold water. Then using a serrated knife, again dipped in cold water, or scissors dipped in cold water, cut into desired squares. Toss the marshmallows in the powdered sugar mixture and let stand for an hour. Brush off extra powdered sugar and store in airtight container at room temperature. The recipe book states they can keep for up to three weeks at room temperature but are best used fresh.

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From Recettes et Terroirs online:

Recette: Guimauve
This site is in French with translations available in different languages. But be aware that the translations are sometimes a little too "literal" and don't make much sense. Good recipe with egg whites.

http://www.recettes-et-terroirs.com/recette_detail-19-1279.html

References used:

Dubois, Marguerite-Marie, Denis J. Keen and Barbara Shuey. Larousse's French-Engish English-French Dictionary: Two Volumes in One.
     New York: Pocket, 1971.

Lang, Jenifer Harvey, ed. Larousse Gastronomique: The New American Edition of the World's Greatest Culinary Encyclopedia.
     New York: Crown, 1988.

Sullivan, Eugene T. and Marilynn C. Sullivan. The Complete Wilton Book of Candy. Woodbridge: Wilton, 1981.

Recettes. Pâtisseries sucrées: Guimauve. Recettes et Terroirs. Latest update to site: 25 May, 2005. Accessed site 25 May, 2005.
     <http://www.recettes-et-terroirs.com/recette_detail-19-1279.html>

Copyright © 2009 Renee Shelton.
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