Homemade marshmallows

These marshmallows turned out pretty awesome for my first batch! I modified the recipe a little by replacing the light corn syrup with honey. 

1 cup water
1 cup organic honey
4 packets gelatin or 4 tablespoons (preferably grass fed)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Marshmallow root *optional 

If you use marshmallow root then add it to the cup of hot water above and let it steep for 5 minutes. Then strain and...
Pour ½ cup of the water into a large bowl with the gelatin. Whisk it until it's combined, then set it aside.
Pour the other ½ cup of water into a small saucepan with the honey. Turn the stove on medium and heat it until it reaches 240° F. You do not need to stir it. It may take a while to get to temperature, but do not be tempted to turn the heat up. It usually takes about 7-8 minutes to heat to that temp. 

Take a hand mixer or stand mixer and turn it on over the gelatin. Very slowly drizzle in the honey while continuing to mix on a medium speed. Once all the honey is in with the gelatin, turn the mixer on high and continue to beat until the mixture turns white, marshmallowy, and soft peaks form. This will take about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the vanilla in for the last minute or so of mixing. Try not to overmix, as this will make the marshmallows hard to spread out later.

Spread the marshmallow "fluff" into a 9x13" pan greased or lined with parchment paper. It looks a little funny, but it will get better. Set the pan out somewhere it will not get wet (not the fridge!) and let the marshmallows set up for 8 hours.
Turn the finished marshmallows onto a cutting board. Dip a knife in oil (I used coconut oil) and cut into strips, then into squares.

 Store them in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place. I used a mason jar. Don't put them in the fridge - they will get soggy and melt. You can roll them in powdered sugar or cocoa powder. Make sure to eat them within the week for best flavor.