A Sprinkle Of Water Is Key To Melting Marshmallows In The Microwave

When you're in the kitchen and ready to add a gooey, sweet touch to your dessert, marshmallows are normally the go-to choice. But how do you melt them to perfection without a sticky disaster? The key is to use a sprinkle of water to melt marshmallows in the microwave. Water is the simple ingredient that changes everything, transforming the solid puffs into silky and smooth marshmallow cream. 

Why does this work? Well, marshmallows are essentially made out of liquid, gelatin, sugar, and air. When heated in the microwave, the sugar in these sweet confections can burn and caramelize, and the marshmallows themselves can dry and dehydrate quickly without the added water. The added moisture helps them become creamy and gooey while melting in the microwave, which means the resulting texture will be consistent and smooth. This makes them easy to use in desserts like homemade rice crispy treats and chocolate bars.

Melting marshmallows in your microwave is a relatively simple process. Start by placing your marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl. The size of the bowl will depend on how much melted fluff you need. If you're unsure, start with a larger bowl. Now it's time to sprinkle in the water to create the perfectly smooth marshmallow fluff in the microwave — just a couple of tablespoons are enough. 

Add the water directly into the bowl with the marshmallows and microwave in 10-second bursts. After each round, stir them well and be careful as the mixture and bowl will be hot. Continue microwaving in short intervals until all the sweet confections have thoroughly melted. Stirring the mixture between microwave bursts is critical to preventing hot spots, lumps, and uneven melting. 

Once it's a uniform gooey, silky, and smooth marshmallow cream, it's ready to use in your desserts like cookies or even drizzled-over fresh fruit. Again, be careful, this creamy fluff will be hot!