Homemade Marshmallows (Zephyr) VIDEO
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Zephyr is a type of Russian homemade marshmallows recipe. These tasty confections are fluffy and literally just melt in your mouth. Learn how to make these homemade marshmallows with the easy video tutorial.
I have been working on perfecting this recipe for some time and these have the right fluffy consistency using real ingredients (no jell-o needed), and they have intense blackberry-lemon flavor. P.S. that beautiful pinky-purple hue is all natural from fresh blackberries and makes these completely irresistible!
The closest thing I could compare zephyr to are gourmet marshmallows. These are lightyears better than store-bought marshmallows and are stunning on party dessert tables. Think: showers, birthdays, tea parties, etc. Zephyr is the first thing people eye on a dessert table because it’s just so pretty!
This blackberry-leon zephir recipe was modified from Air Cake on youtube.
Watch How to Make Homemade Marshmallows:
This recipe is simple, but it is important to follow the process and have precise measurements. I have included all of my best tips to make sure you are successful the first time and every time!
*Watch our easy video tutorial on how to measure correctly
Ingredients for Blackberry Puree:
2 cups (or 8 oz or 250 grams) blackberries
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 egg white, room temperature
For the Agar Agar Syrup:
1/3 cup (75 ml) water
1 cup (200 grams) sugar
2 tsp (5 grams) agar agar*
Powdered Sugar to dust
*Agar agar us a plant based thickener that works similarly to traditional unflavored pork-derived gelatin. It is kosher-friendly and doesn’t add any aroma or flavor especially when heated which is awesome!! It is available in natural and health-food stores like Rosauers, Whole foods and is reasonably priced on Amazon.
How to Make Homemade Marshmallows (Zephyr):
1. In a medium saucepan, bring blackberries, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp lemon juice to a simmer. Mash berries and simmer uncovered 10 min then strain through fine sieve, pressing on solids with a spatula. Scrape the back of the sieve to get 1/2 cup or 125 grams of puree. Chill the puree over an ice bath until cooled.
2. Once puree is chilled and slightly thickened, combine it with 1 egg white in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk.** Beat 8-10 min on high speed or until thick and stiff peaks form. While the blackberry/egg white mixture is whipping, proceed with step 3.
3. In a medium sauce pan, combine 1/3 cup water, 2 tsp agar agar and 1 cup sugar. Place over medium heat, bring to boil then reduce heat to a low boil and cook 5 min, whisking constantly until syrup has thickened and pours from a spoon without dribbling. Remove from heat.
4. With mixer on the LOWEST speed, and as soon as agar syrup is off the stove, immediately pour it in a thin stream into the whipped blackberry mixture. Avoid getting syrup on whisk and bowl. Scrape down the bowl and beat another 2-3 minutes on high speed until stiff peaks form.
5. Right away, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M large open star tip and pipe roses onto parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping them even in width/size.
6. Let stand in a draft free, low humidity, room temperature (70˚F) area, uncovered 6-12 hours, or overnight. Marshmallows will form a glossy film on top and will come off the parchment fairly easily, then match 2 halves together and roll sandwiched marshmallows in powdered sugar.
⬇ Print-Friendly Marshmallows Recipe (Zephyr) Recipe:
Homemade Marshmallows (Zephyr) VIDEO
Ingredients
For the Blackberry Puree:
- 2 cups or 8 oz or 250 grams blackberries
- 1/2 cup 100 grams granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg white, room temperature
For the Agar Agar Syrup:
- 1/3 cup 75 ml water
- 1 cup 200 grams sugar
- 2 tsp 5 grams agar agar*
- Powdered Sugar to dust
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring blackberries, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp lemon juice to a simmer. Mash berries and simmer uncovered 10 min then strain through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids with a spatula. Scrape off the back of the sieve to ensure you have 1/2 cup or 125 grams of puree. Chill the puree over an ice bath until cooled.
- Once puree is fully chilled and slightly thickened, combine it with 1 egg white in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.** Beat on 8-10 min on high speed or until mixture is thick and stiff peaks form. While the blackberry/egg white mixture is going, proceed with step 3.
- In a medium sauce pan, stir together 1/3 cup water, 2 tsp agar agar and 1 cup sugar. Place over medium heat, bring to a boil then reduce heat to a low boil and cook 5 minutes, whisking constantly until syrup has thickened and pours from a spoon without dribbling. Remove from heat.
- With the mixer on the LOWEST speed, and as soon as agar syrup is off the stove, immediately pour it in a thin stream into whipped blackberry mixture. Avoid getting syrup on whisk and bowl. Once syrup is in, scrape down the bowl and beat another 2-3 min on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Right away, transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M large open star tip and pipe roses onto parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping the roses even in width/size.
- Let homemade marshmallows stand in a draft free, low humidity, room temperature area (70˚F), uncovered for 6-12 hours, or overnight. Marshmallows will form a glossy film on top and will come off the parchment fairly easily. Once set, match 2 halves together then roll sandwiched marshmallows powdered sugar.
Notes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Regarding the use of raw egg whites: Always use eggs that have a whole, un-cracked shell from a trustworthy source. This method is similar to an Italian Buttercream where adding the hot syrup partially tempers the egg white, but if you want to take extra caution especially if pregnant or elderly, you can try using pasteurized egg whites, although from my research, it may take longer to beat the mixture if egg white is pasteurized.
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Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I was wondering if the amount of sugar could be cut in these zephyrs since I am living in Poland and right now the sugar price is not low.
Hi Ilona, altering the ingredient quantity will alter the end result also. Using less sugar may alter the overall volume. If you happen to try it with less, I’d love to know how you like that!
I made this last night and it was such pleasure to work with them, they came out so perfect and beautiful, but they weren’t dry in the morning, super soft, I couldn’t even try. And temperature in the house was 70. What am I doing wrong, I did weight all my ingredients.
Hi Nadia, a couple of things – make sure you beat the mixture until stiff peaks form when you pull up on the whisk, the peak should hold straight up without folding over. Also once they have dried, the marshmallows will form a glossy film on top and will come off the parchment fairly easily. They will still be soft inside like a marshmallow.
Boa noite! Sobre o zefir, com essa receita eu consigo fazer rosas modeladas como vejo nos vídeos das russas? Achei muito legal, vou tentar fazer em breve. Obrigada
Hi Diele, I haven’t tested that, but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe!
Hi Natasha,
What is the strength of the agar agar that should be used for this recipe?
Hi Jenny, this is the Agar Powder that I used. CLICK HERE for my amazon affiliate link.
Hi Natasha I’m just wondering where these should be stored if we don’t eat them right away? Thankyou
Hi Lindsay, you can store these at room temperature in an airtight container (like Tupperware) for 2-3 days in a low humidity area.
Hi Natasha.
What can i do if i dont have blueberries and can i use gelatin in place of agar agar?
Hi there, this recipe is intended to be used with the agar agar only. I had one other reader report not so great results with regular gelatin when trying to substitute. Do you mean blackberry? I haven’t tried anything else to advise.
Addendum to my previous review: I think I figured out the problem with the prolonged set time: I have never worked with agar agar before. I was thrilled when I finally found it, in the 3rd store that day and in the Asian food section. After making my 2nd batch of marshmallows, waiting multiple days for them to set, and watching the fluffiness sink, I figured it out. For those of us unfamiliar with agar agar; it comes in either powdered or flaked form. And no, they are not equivalent. 1 tsp powder is approximately equal to 1 Tablespoon flakes. Next time I will know.
I love the flavor and the melt in your mouth texture. The drying or setting time is way off in my kitchen. IDKY. Ultimately, they did set, 3 days later, and were rather difficult to remove from the paper. Flavor is fun and they actually did seem to melt in my mouth. Texture at 3 days set time was still a little floppy and slightly crusty on the outside – like a marshmallow peep that you have allowed to air dry for a few days because duh, why would you eat Peeps any other way than slightly stale – am I right? Mine were A-LOT smaller than yours but from what I could tell, your batter was a lot firmer than mine, despite whipping both times, more than the recommended time in grease free bowl. Ohh oh oh oh, one more thing, I almost forgot, I left mine as single rosettes rather than doubled, because I liked the delicate feel they conveyed. Overall, I enjoyed the process and have since started another batch. If I can post a pic, I will.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Robbin! I would make sure the right amount of agar agar was used. I’m curious if humidity is possibly affecting it also?
Hello. I was wondering if you can use these for s’mores or roasting at a campfire? Will they toast the same as a factory-made marshmallow?
Hi Nicole, I haven’t tried this over a campfire, but now I’m curious if that will work. If you happen to test that, I would love to know how you like it.
Hi Natasha
I have Boirin fruit purées I use for chocolate fillings
I tied using that but it didn’t work
How can I make this work with commercial purées?
Hi Alison, I haven’t tested that specifically to advise on the process. If you experiment, I would love to know how it goes.
Hi Alison, I haven’t tried Boirin fruit purees so I’m not sure what to advise on that.
Hi, does this recipe double easy? triple ?
Or does it get cool off too fast ?
Also, have you tried flakes not powder agar agar?
Hi Kat, I have not tried doubling it so I’m not sure if you would double the time throughout the recipe. You won’t need to double it for baking though. I am using a 6Qt stand mixer and the bowl was pretty full with the mixture – I think doubling it would overwhelm the mixer. It may be safer to make the recipe twice. Has anyone else tried doubling the recipe? Please share your experience and thanks in advance! 🙂 Also, this recipe is intended to be used with the agar agar only. I had one other reader report not so great results with regular gelatin when trying to substitute. I hope that helps!
I meant if there’s a different between the type of agar. The store I bought agar agar from did not have powder agar agar but only flakes agar agar. It seems to work the same BUT MASURE BY WIGHT not tea spoon.
Also, I have a glass bowl kitchen aid, and based from your video is bigger (not sure what Q amount it holds) I made 1 batch and it completely ruined, did fluff and the hot agar was chunky all over the place.
I didn’t give up though! Doubled the batch and they turned out beautiful! The 2 egg whites where able to mix really fluffy. One egg white didn’t mix fluffy enough after like 10 min still watery, after 20 bearly fluffy. So if your mixer is bigger double is fine!
Just cook the berries a little longer. I got 1.5 cups from it. So returned it to the stove drained and simmered just a bit more and it reduced to like a littttle more than 1 cup.
Thank you for the recipe! They’re the most darling little things!
Oh! And I used frozen raspberry measured by wight and they came out so tasty!
Hi Kat, that’s great to know that the flakes work since I haven’t tried that and that it works by weight which makes sense. I have a 6-quart mixer. I”m’ so glad it worked out. I’m not sure why 1 batch wouldn’t fluff though.
Oh sorry I meant if flaky AGAR will work the same. The store near me only had flaky no powder. And it seemed to work the same just had to measure by WIGHT.
Also. I have a bigger kitchen aid mixer. The glass bowl, not sure what Qt amount it holds.
So. One batch DID NOT work. I mixed for 10 min, still watery, 25 min later fluffy (but now I know it wasn’t fluffy enough) the agar ended up being chuncky all over the place and they did not firm up.
One of the other comments asked why theirs didn’t “freeze” probably didn’t mix the egg white mixture enough.
I tired 2 batch’s at once and it turned out beautifully! Got really fluffy and hot agar incorporated well!
Oh, and I used frozen raspberries (measured by wight) simmered for 10 min but for 1.5 cups of juice, so just returned to heat for a little more till it condensed to 1 cup.
They beautiful and tastie! Thank you for such a old-fashion yet such unique recipe!
Hello Kat, thank you so much for sharing your experience making this recipe. Glad it turned out well and you liked it! The info that you shared is really helpful, thanks for that.
I love this recipe. I already made zephir using this recipe times and every time it turned out great. By the way, I noticed that using frozen raspberries gives even deeper flavor and it’s easier to get enough of the berry syrup than from fresh blackberries, since raspberries are jucier.
I meant to say I used this recipe 3 times already.
Hello Mariana, thanks for your great comments and for sharing that info about using frozen raspberries. I will probably try that too next time.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Marian!!
Hello, Natasha!
Trying to do this recipe second time.
The shell of my Zephyr is too chewy.
I tried others girls zephyr who did by your recipe it taste different outside.
what can I do wrong?
Thank you!
Hi Anna, It could be possibly due to letting them sit and dry for too long. I’m not sure what else if none of the ingredients or measurements were changed in the recipe.
Love this recipe! Super easy to make, I didn’t have agar agar so instead of using the 2tsp of agar agar I used 4 tsp of corn starch and they turned out amazing!
That’s perfect! Thanks for your great review and for sharing that with us, Melanie.
Hi Natasha, if you don’t want to use blackberries as they are seasonal fruits in Malawi.
What can we use as a substitute or can we make plain marshmallow florets?
Hi Zahira, there are many great ideas in the comments I think you will find helpful. Anything from raspberry, strawberry, and vanilla are a few I’ve seen listed.
Hi Natasha, if you don’t want to use blackberries as they are seasonal fruits in Malawi.
What can we use as a substitute
Hi Zahira, there are many great ideas in the comments I think you will find helpful. Anything from raspberry, strawberry, and vanilla are a few I’ve seen listed.
Hello,
Can you bake these to a very low temperature for a couple of hours? Just like meringue cookies!
Thank you!
Hi Diana, I highly recommend following the instructions listed for them to work properly.
Hi Natasha! Can I substitute egg with meringue powder?
Hi Rhea, I haven’t tested that so I can’t say for sure.
Can I freeze them or store it for latter?
Hi Marina, I have not tried freezing this recipe to advise.
Hi Natasha,
For some reason, the puree/egg white mixture wouldn’t blend into stiff peaks. I was using the wisk on speed 10. it got foamy and nothing else. Please advise
Hi Inga, it could be due to having grease in the bowl or on the whisk attachment. Also, make sure it is regular egg whites without additives (sometimes carton whites have additives). Lastly, excessively humid environments could cause that to happen. I hope that helps to troubleshoot!
Can I use Knox gelatin to replace the agar agar gelatin?
Hi Lidya, this recipe is intended to be used with the agar agar only. I had one other reader report not so great results with regular gelatin when trying to substitute. I hope that helps!
Gelatin must be kept cold to remain solid. Agar agar is used here because it remains solid at room temperature and does not need refrigeration. They are not interchangeable.
That’s just not true. Nearly all american-style marshmallows use gelatin and have no problem staying firm at room temp.
These turned out amazing! Perfect amount of sweetness and so fluffy.
Love it! Thanks for your super nice review and feedback, Nancy!
Hi natasha. My month is watering now,I was trying to find a recipe for zefir and here it is,I love watching your videos and trying them out. I have a question 8 oz =1 cup,u wrote 2 cups =8 oz,so is it 2 cups or 1 cup? I’m going to make this tomorrow. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us.
Hi Olga, with blackberries, an 8 oz package is referring to the weight – if you put an 8 oz container of blackberries into a measuring cup it will be about 2 cups,
What’s your take on using Apple sauce when making Zephyr?
Hi Sara, I think by the time you got enough applesauce to actually taste it, it would make the zephyr soggy.
Since you’re just making jam, can you use jam instead of the blackberry/sugar reduction? How much jam? Спасибо!
Hi, I honestly have not tried that so I’m not sure how it would affect the outcome. I think it could work but the berry reduction will probably have a deeper flavor.
This is so beautiful .I want to make this for a party can you tell how long can I keep it after making for the party. I want to make ahead and keep but don’t know how long it will stay fresh like this. Please do let me know. Thank tou
Hi Mary, you can store these at room temperature in an airtight container (like Tupperware) for 2-3 days in a low humidity area.
What a Wonderful Recipe!! We grow Boysenberries and I have a crop of them in the freezer – waiting to make jelly. Well, I’ll be making these too!
Hi Natasha,
Can I use ready made mango puree (already has sugar in it ) for making zephyr. What amount of puree would be the best to use. Thanks
Hi, S, I haven’t tried but I think it’s worth experimenting. The only thing that could possibly go wrong is if there are other additives that cause the mixture to break.
Hi Natasha . How long can you store them in the room temperature? If I will make them on Monday can they stay ok till Saturday? Thank you
Hi Iryna, you can store these at room temperature in an airtight container (like Tupperware) for 2-3 days in a low humidity area
Hi Natasha,
I really love your recipes and videos. I tried several of your recipes and they are very delicious. I tried to make this recipe but it didn’t work, I didn’t get a thick mixture when I whisked the puree and egg white !
Hi, did you make any substitutions in ingredients and make sure to measure correctly? If so, I would highly recommend making it exactly per the recipe before doing any testing. Could there have been too much puree or did you add it before it was chilled?
I used less sugar! I got 100ml of puree.. Could that be it ?
Hi Heba, it could be that the berries weren’t as juicy, or not using enough berries, or it could be due to using less sugar that the overall volume was lower. Also, be sure to add the lemon juice. I hope that helps to troubleshoot.
I don’t have a piping bag. Is it possible to put in a pan like marshmallows and cut into squares?
Hi Val, I honestly haven’t tried baking it that way but I think it would be a great test. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
This stuff is addicting! I never liked the store bought version. But these just melt in your mouth. The recipe is supper easy to follow, thanks Natasha for easy explanation.
Sounds like you found a new favorite, Irina! I’m so glad you enjoyed that.
You can make them with apple puree, that’s the traditional style, and they come out white.
Thank you for sharing that with us! That’s so awesome.
Awesome! What’s your suggestion for how much apple puree to use for your recipe? Do you use it in combination with blackberry or what do you suggest? Also can I use agar flakes instead of agar powder? Will it turn out the same? If so, should I use the same ratio of flakes as powder?
What other flavors can we make of these?
Hi PJ, there are many great ideas in the comments I think you will find helpful, anything from raspberry, strawberry, and vanilla are a few I’ve seen listed.
Hi Natasha
I made these yesterday and they tasted delicious. However they haven’t set at all over the last 12 hours. Do you think there’s anything I might have done wrongly?
Thanks
Hi Fern, humidity may be the culprit but some other things to consider: it may be due to undercooking the agar mixture – I cook at a low boil for the full 5 minutes for it to thicken. Also, be sure not to add more than 1/2 cup of your fruit syrup and make sure it is fully cooled and no longer warm to the touch. I hope that helps!
Thanks Natasha. By the way, are they meant to form a crisp dry shell outside? It’s still really soft and hard to peel off, its a little chewy on the outside. Just wondering if that’s how it’s meant to be?
Hi Fern, they are supposed to be dry on the outside, but not really crisp. They do stick to the parchment a little as they are moist on the inside. They are a little more moist than a typical marshmallow but they dissolve in your mouth readily and aren’t really chewy.
Thanks for the quick reply Natasha! I made them for a school fete tomorrow so hoping they hold up when I pack them! 🙂
Hi Natasha I wana know if you can use unflavored gelatin instead of agar?
Hi Natasha, I haven’t tested it that way but several readers have reported that it does not work well. There would need to be other modifications made but without running that test, I can’t advise replacing it.
Hi in my country we do not have fresh blueberry, how can I make the puree with dehydrate bluberry? I really want made this recipe and my problem is the puree
I honestly haven’t tested it that way so I’m not sure I can make a recommendation. If anyone else has insights into this type of substitution, please let us know. Also, you could try another berry.
Can you bake these ?
Hi Lora, I haven’t tried but I don’t think so.
Do you think canned cherries will work?
Hi Irishka, I haven’t tested that so I cannot advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I just made these using frozen strawberries and the batter is amazing! It’s light, easy to pipe and delicious. You absolutely cannot use gelatin in this recipe because gelatin can’t be heated like the agar agar. When you use gelatin, you bloom it in cold water before adding any heat. That is how conventional marshmallows are made.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Ist it possible to use other berries or frozen berries?
Hi Petra, I haven’t tried it myself but I have had readers report great results substituting with strawberries. One of our readers used frozen blackberries and loved it also!
Very tasty ! Good recipe! We made it twice and each time it was delicious
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Can you toast these like regular marshmallows?
Hi, I haven’t tried that but I suspect it wouldn’t be the same experience.
Thank you for wonderful zephyr, delicious, kids absolutely love it, they said even better, then in Russia. God bless you and your family!
That’s so great Olga! I’m so happy your family enjoying this recipe!
Hi Natasha, can I use strawberries instead?
Hi Ruslana, I haven’t tried that but I think it could work. You may need to cook the strawberry puree a little longer so it thickens since strawberry juice tends to be a little more watery and be sure not to add more than 1/2 cup of puree. Let me know if you try it 🙂
Has anyone tried putting Zephyr into an ice cream cone like filling ice cream into it and let it set. I remember as a little boy an ice cream cone treat that had something like a marshmallow in it and of course you eat the whole thing. I wonder if the Zephyr would set up in the cone??
How interesting Jim! I have not tried that but would love to know if it works out. If you experiment with a cone next time, please let me know how you liked that
Hi Natasha, Iwas wondering if I can make them with Knox gelatin instead of Agar Agar
Hi Isabella, for this particular recipe, gelatin doesn’t work the same way and I have had readers report that it doesn’t work. If you are not able to purchase it in stores, the best source would be online (I have an Amazon link here)
I hope to get some help from those who used agar agar flakes. It is the only form I find agar agar in my part of the world. I used it in the same amount as the powder in the recipe, kept it on a boil for the entire 5 minutes, only to feel rubbery flakes in the marshmallow, after mixing. I read only after seeing my failed zephyr that I should have used 3 times as much as the required powder. Is there a way to get rid of those rubbery bits?
How about trying to put those agar agar flakes in a blender and try to make powder out of them?
Hello Natasha I wanted to ask, how far advance can these be done?
Hi Inna, you can store these at room temperature in an airtight container (like Tupperware) for 2-3 says in a low humidity area.
Natasha , I’ve never thought I’d score them from first time ! But today I did it ! Hahа 😃👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Made double portion and I’ve mixed black currants and blackberries together . It’s jsut heavenly! Can’t wait when they ready to go 🙈👏🏼❤️Thank you for delicious recipe !!!!
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy you loved that!
Hi Natasha, I was wondering can I substitute lemon juice in bottle from the natural one?
Hey there Svetlana, I love it fresh lemon juice but that should work okay.
Very silly question do you use the fruit that’s left in the sieve or what passes throughout the drive? Thank you.
Hi Ogis, You can repurpose it and serve it with pancakes or over ice cream. It is very tasty 🙂
Hi Natasha, I made these with my sister last night and this morning they taste delicious! Much, much better than store bought. I was wondering if lemon would be a good substitute? Do I need to cook it a little longer maybe? Thanks
Hey there Yana! Are you looking to omit the blackberries and substitute that for lemon? This recipe already calls for 1 tbsp of lemon.
Hi Natasha,
Do you really need 7 hours for prep?
Thanks,
Diana
Hi Diana. That time is just letting the marshmallows rest. It’s not really preparation time at all.
Hi Natasha,
Is there anyway to make these plain white color?
Hi Michael! You would have to omit the Blackberries and alter the recipe a bit to make these white. 🙂
Bake tart apple quarters at 380 for about 25 minutes. (Skin on). Chill overnight in fine mesh sieve over a bowl in the fridge. Puree with a hand blender, and push through the fine mesh sieve. use same amount instead of the blackberry puree.
Hello!I live in UK and here is a lot of humidity.What can I do to help the recipe if I can’t have low humidity in the room?Thank you!!!
Hi Flory, I’m honestly not sure in that situation since there is risk that the meringue will not beat up properly and the finished marshmallows need time to dry on the outside. If it is humid, it would be difficult to achieve those results.
Maybe someone else has experience making these in high humidity? Please let us know!
Refrigerator covered on bottom shelf. Cheesecloth or cotton towel doubled works. Well it does with regular marshmellow and l live in high humidity qld aust. Maybe this might be slightly different, as l havent made it yet?
Hi
A bit late, but where I live there is also high humidity.. There was no problem beating up the meringue. I let it rest overnight but it was still sticky.. So I put it in the oven around 30°C and after that it was great!
Thank you for sharing that!
Question – can these be dusted with powdered sugar right after piping or they won’t set properly?
Hi Natasha! They are much easier to handle once they set and the skin forms, help keep the shape also. Once it is set, they come off fairly easily from the parchment. If you experiment with a few please let me know how you like the outcome.
Hi, just for everyone’s information, if you are using agar agar flakes, use three times the amount as stated in the recipe for powder 🙂
Thank you for sharing that with us Kay 😀
After I poured the agar syrup the consistency of the meringue thinned out (before I had very stiff peaks). So it was hard to pipe and the rosettes went flat.
I made this using agar flakes, could that have been the problem? Unfortunately I didn’t read this post until after I was done.
Hello,
I would like to know if I can make this using strawberries? Would all the measurements stay the same?
They look really delicious and I would like to make them for my son’s birthday party, he loves strawberries!
Thank you!
Hello Irene, I haven’t tried it myself but I have had readers report great results substituting with strawberries.
Hi. i’m trying to measure agar and for me 1 tsp is 5 mg so i’m not sure if I need to put 2 tsp or just that 1 tsp which makes 5 mg?! thank you!
I meant 5 grams!
Hi Viktorija, I used a digital kitchen scale to weigh and 2 exact teaspoons weighed 5 grams. I noticed you wrote 5 mg – maybe you mean 5 ml although ml is usually used for measuring liquids but there are 5 ml in a teaspoon. It may help to check out our tutorial on measuring ingredients for baking.
HI Natasha, thanks for a great recipe as always!!! I made these yesterday using strawberries, the taste is delicious. I can never follow a recipe to the t… need to learn not to ulter anything 😂 I used 2 egg whites but the rest was the same and they came out not as dense as I remember zifir to be. The inside is sooooo fluffy! The outside still formed nicely but did yours come out denser? Could of 1 extra egg white make such a difference? 1 had 2 recipes and the other called for 5 egg whites… just wanted your opinion? I want the zifir to be denser.
Hi Irina, these are fairly fluffy like a marshmallow inside and not super dense. It may have been more fluffy with an extra egg white.
Hi, I have tried this recipe using raspberries. I have followed the recipe and the method you have stated on your video. I have left them over night, but they have not become firm enough. They are still soft . What am I doing wrong?
Hi Furia, It is difficult to say without being there – I wonder if maybe the gelatin needed to be cooked a little longer (depending on the heat from your burner – that could vary slightly). Also, make sure to add the correct amount of syrup – adding too much can make the mixture more loose. I hope that helps!
Hello Natasha. Just went to Whole Foods to buy agar agar. They only had agar agar flakes. Will that work? That’s what i bought. Hoping to test the recipe out this week.
Thank you,
Jacquelyn
Hi Jacquelyn, I haven’t tested the flakes so I’m not 100% sugar. I’m assuming it will work but you might google to see if it substitutes in equal amounts for the powder.
Before you had a different recipe of zefir and oreshki can not find them can you please post them again I was looking like 3-4 years ago also the old set it recipe was on YouTube also can not find them.Please if is possible to post them again.Thank You!
Hi Lidiya, you must be thinking of a different website. This is the only zephyr I have posted and I don’t have a recipe for oreshki yet.
Thank you so much for the recipe! I tried it today and I got wonderful zephyr! The taste is amazing! I would like to share the photos of my zephyr! How can I do it?
Hi Anastasiia, we don’t have a feature to share photos on our site yet but we do have a private Facebook group where you could share it and I’d love to have you join! You could also email it to me directly: natasha @ natashaskitchen.com (no spaces) if you are not on facebook 🙂
Hi! Can I use frosen blackberries for this recipe ?
Hi Anastasia, frozen blackberries should work just as well. I hope you love the recipe! 🙂
Can I substitute gelatin for afar agar? And would it be in the same proportion?
Hi Veronika, for this particular recipe, gelatin doesn’t work the same way and I have had readers report that it doesn’t work. If you are not able to purchase it in stores, the best source would be online (I have an Amazon link above).
Hi, i was wondering long these keep? i wanted to make them a few days in advance of an event.
Hi Sonya, store these at room temperature in an airtight container (like Tupperware) for 2-3 says in a low humidity area.
Thank you for the recipe, it’s great! I love it 🙂 I love the fact that it’s made with real fruit!!!
You’re welcome Nina! I’m glad you love the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Can I substitute sugar with honey or maple syrup?
Hi Lora, I haven’t tested that substitution so can’t make a recommendation. If anyone tried using those substitutions, please share your results.
you can substitute part of the sugar (around 1/5) with honey (which would work same as glucose syrup and would actually prolong the life of zefir some), but it would alter the taste greatly and not sure that honey flavor works with blackberries.
Thank you Marishk
Can you use raspberry or strawberries as your fruit?
Hi Linda, I think raspberry would work better since it is more concentrated in flavor. You may need to cook the strawberry puree a little longer so it thickens since strawberry juice tends to be a little more watery and be sure not to add more than 1/2 cup of puree.
To make them with raspberries is there anything different that needs to be done?
Yours look really beautiful!!
Hi Jacquelyn, thank you! One of our readers, Liliana, reported the following: “Made these last night using raspberries instead of blackberries (blackberries were too sad looking :)) and they came out sooo delicious! “
I have been using raspberries and they taste even better than any other berries.
Natasha, can I substitute agar-agar with gelatin since I could not find it in the store here in Coquitlam,Canada? I am trying to make the zephyr tomorrow for my daughter’s bake sale.
Hi Jenn, for this particular recipe, gelatin doesn’t work the same way and I have had readers report that it doesn’t work. If you are not able to purchase it in stores, the best source would be online (I have an Amazon link above). I know that doesn’t help with being able to make them for tomorrows bake sale!
You can find agar in Vancouver area easily in Chinese stores. I remember I fount in in Wholefoods and Choices as well. Also it’s very easy to order from Amazon.
I have made this zefir twice so far and they tasted great, the only thing is mine were more like souffle consistency wise, but yours , Natasha, seem to be more dense. Could you , please, tell me what brand of agar agar you are using? Thank you in advance!
Hi Alina, I purchased my agar in a natural grocery store from a bin and I don’t think there was a brand on it. Sorry I can’t be more helpful! When you measure your agar, make sure to use a measuring spoon and level off the top to get an accurate measure. I hope that helps!
Ok, great, thank you I will try that next time around, which wont be long:), probably tonight, I love them so much!:)
You’re welcome Alina! Please let me know how it turns out next time! 🙂
Ok, I finally figured out what my problem was as far as the density goes , i doubled the amount when I previously made zephyr, last night I followed your proportions exactly and it came out perfect, just like in your video! So, thank you again for such wonderful and easy recipe
Thank you so much for reporting back! I’m so glad you figured it out! It’s great to know that a single batch at a time works best. I haven’t tested it in more than one batch at a time.
Made youre wonderful zephyr marsmallows last night:)😍 yummy! Just wondering about one thing, how long can i keep them? We are having a christening for our little girl, this Sunday. How do i keep them, to make sure they are good and fresh?😀
Hi Karine, keep them in an airtight container (like tupperware) at room temperature (away from humidity is best). They keep best up to 3 days at room temperature before they start to get a little dry.
*A STELLAR RECIPE * 5 Gold Stars!! Made these a couple of times and they came out perfect. I do not like store-bought marshmallows; nor do I like them from the russian stores. I gave these a try and was surprised of the outcome. Their texture and taste are different but sooo much better!! I even used frozen berries one time and still came out fantastic!! Easy recipe to follow – Excellent job – Give yourself a pat on the shoulder!! With love from Utica.
I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review with other readers!!
Hello, I tried this recipe and it was fairly easy to make. However, mine came out too chewy and not very fluffy when you bite into it. What can be the cause of that?
Hi Svetlana, did you have a chance to watch the video to see if yours looked different in any part of the process? Were there any substitutuions made – maybe using a different kind of gelatin or different ratios of ingredients?
Hi Natasha, thank you so much for coming up with this recipe! These are my favorite treats from Russia. The store bought zephyr I am accustomed to always has vanilla flavor added, do you think it would be ok to add vanilla extract to these? I think the flavors would pair well together but I don’t want to risk ruining the consistency. Would love to know your thoughts! Thank you & happy holidays!!!
Hi Kseniya, these have so much great flavor that it is not necessary in this recipe. I haven’t tried making these as plain vanilla zephyr so I wouldn’t be able to give you instructions on making the vanilla version without testing it first. I think it would work to add a tiny amount of vanilla to this recipe but again it really isn’t needed in this zephyr.
Hi Natasha, thanks so much for sharing the recipe. May I know if I can use store bought frozen puree instead of cooking the frozen fruit to thick puree?
Hi Jamie, I haven’t tried that so I’m not 100% sure if it would work the same way. When you cook the berries on the stove, some of the liquid evaporates and it becomes thicker so maybe it would be best to simmer the puree for 5-10 minutes first and then strain it if there are seeds in the puree.
Hi Natasha,
Have you tried these with frieze dried fruit ? Say raspberry or blackberry? I was wondering how to adjust the recipe if this is what I use?
Hi Kerrie, I have not experimented with freeze dried fruit so I’m not sure if that would work the same way or what other substitutions need to be made.
Thank you Natasha, for this lovely Blackberry Zephyr recipe. My family has artificial color and food allergies. This is perfect to try! We all picked blackberries together this fall. I will let you know!
I hope everyone loves it! Pleas do Sandy!
Hi. I made these last night to experiment for a huge tea I have coming up. I did use gelatin as a substitute for agar agar and they definitely failed. They never firmed up. They were Gorgeous and tasted amazing, but never firmed! I’ll try again and get some agar agar on line.
Hi Nancy, I’m sorry to hear that. Agar agar and gelatin are usually substituted without changes in a recipe and from what I read and hear from my readers, it does not work in this recipe.
Iam going to be trying these can you tell me the best way to store them I would like to make in advance Thank you!
Hi Christine, keeping them in an airtight container (like tupperware) at room temperature away from humidity is best. They keep best up to 3 days at room temperature before they start to get a little dry.
Made these last night using raspberries instead of blackberries (blackberries were too sad looking :)) and they came out sooo delicious! They were a little softer than the ones we used to buy in a store but I think it is because of the high humidity here (I live in Alabama). Will add more agar agar powder next time. But fore real, they taste like heaven in your mouth!!!
I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe Liliana! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
we made these a couple of times but they didn’t get firm enough but they still tasted good.
Hi Elena, I am always happy to help troubleshoot. The first thing that comes to mind is maybe cool the gelatin mixture slightly longer before drizzling it into the marshmallow mixture. Also, be sure your meringue mixture has thick stiff peaks before adding gelatin mixture. I hope that helps!
I’ve made these basing off of a russian written recipe. They came out amazing!
I advise you add that it’s important not to over-beat the mixture, as if effects the consistency of the zefir.
Please make these with the original flavor, lemon! 🙂
Thanks for sharing your helpful tip with other readers! I will keep your suggestion in mind Natasha!
I can’t wait to try these! Do you think I could dip them in chocolate once they are dried?
Hi Carly, I haven’t tried that and also haven’t seen it done so I’m not sure. I would suggest experimenting with a few to see how you like them after they set.
Hi Natasha! I made this the other day it tasted sooo good but they didn’t get hard enough like the ones we buy! What can be the problem? Maybe not enough agar agar or..?!
Thank you
Hi Viktoria, it may be due to not heating the agar mixture long enough. Make sure you have it at a low boil for a full 5 minutes.
How are these stored? How long will they last at room temperature?
Hi Karen, store these at room temperature in an airtight container (like tupperware) for 2-3 says in a low humidity area.
Hi Natasha, thank you for posting a great recipe again, can’t wait to try it. Thou still have a question first: can you replace agar-agar with gelatin? I got lots of it (my Mam sent it from Ukraine) and I’d like to use it but still doubting.
Hi Katya, I have only tried agar agar and also have never come across a recipe for this using gelatin so I can’t really guess if it would work and what the changes in process would need to be.
Hi, unfortunately you cannot use gelatin instead of agar poweder. It won’t work well. They are opposite.
Hello where did u get the agar?
Yelena, you might check local stores that have health or natural food section. I got my at Rosauers. Amazon has it as well here.
Can I use gelatin instead of agar agar ?
Hi Olga, I have only tried agar agar and also have never come across a recipe for this using gelatin so I can’t really guess if it would work and what the changes in process would need to be.
I keep failing this recipe
Hi Inna, I would suggest watching the full length video tutorial in the recipe above and seeing where the consistency of your zephyr is different than what is shown in the video. It might give you a hint as to what might be happening – maybe a modification of some kind is being made? It is really difficult to say what could be going wrong without any additional info, but I am happy to help troubleshoot.
Natasha, may I ask what kind of piping bag and tips are you using? I used my cheap ones in one of your cake recipes, and I couldn’t make decorative cake flowers. Thank you !
Hi Luda, I use a set of 3 large tips for pretty much everything and a large pastry bag. I have these items listed in the shop section of my blog.
If I Double recipe,do I need to double time too?
Hi Svitlana, I have not tried doubling it so I’m not sure if you would double the time throughout the recipe. You won’t need to double it for baking though. I am using a 6Qt stand mixer and the bowl was pretty full with the mixture – I think doubling it would overwhelm the mixer. It may be safer to make the recipe twice. Has anyone else tried doubling the recipe? Please share your experience and thanks in advance! 🙂
Hi Natasha! I have some frozen blackberries. It hasn’t been cooked thou. Can I just get the juice out and then follow the recipe? Or should I still use fresh fruit as per the recipe? Just want to make sure it turns out properly.
Thanks a lot
Hi Lena, you can use frozen-thawed and use them as usual in the recipe.
Hi Natasha,
If I don’t have a stand mixer, can I use a hand mixer?
Hi Masha, yes that will work, please see the notes on that at the bottom of the print-friendly recipe which should help 🙂
I made these and they were awesome! Only they never got a glossy film on top. Was it because my syrup didn’t really pour without dribbling from a spoon? Or because it wasn’t fully stiff peaks? Actually the mixture turned to almost soft peaks very fast. It didn’t get off the parchment paper fairly easily, too. It was still tasted good.
Hi Olga, it could be both. I would suggest following the timings in the recipe and see if that helps. I’m glad you still enjoyed them! 🙂
I’ve made those before and they were heavenly :)how long can I store them? Wondering how long in advance can I make them for party?
Hi Katie, I think they are best enjoyed within 2 to 3 days of making them before they start to get a little dry.
Is there a way to do these to make them blue ? I was going to do for a boys baby shower.
Hi Carra, I haven’t tried anything else that would give a blue hue. One of my readers wrote in with her experience trying to do the same thing with blueberries: “I made mine with blueberries today, they turned out just as nice but they were more of a deeper purple than the blackberry ones and less of a blue like you would think.” Sorry I can’t be more help, but at least we know blueberries won’t work 😉 Maybe someone else has some insight into how to make them blue? Thanks in advance friends!! 🙂
Many thanks for this excellent recipe! I’ve just finished 30 of these for my son’s class at school and they turned out just as in the video (although a little smaller). Really easy to make and a skin formed overnight so easy to remove from baking sheet (dust fingers though) and stick together. I used an icing sugar, cornflower mix (half-half) to coat them which tends to remain less sticky than just icing sugar. By the way, we use agar agar strands (5gm as in recipe), which need soaking for 10 minutes first but are quite cheap from asian shops.
You’re welcome Geoff! I’m happy to hear you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your tips and review with other readers!
Could I substitute blueberries for the blackberries?
Hi Denae, I haven’t tried that but one of my readers, Tanya, shared some very good insights on that substitution: “I made mine with blueberries today, they turned out just as nice but they were more of a deeper purple than the blackberry ones and less of a blue like you would think. Also instead of putting the blueberry mixture through a sieve I put it in a mini food processor & pulsed it really well. This turned out better than putting it through a sieve because blueberry seeds are much smaller than blackberry ones plus I wasn’t getting much syrup through the sieve process. You can also skip the ice water bath after pulsing it because it’s thick enough ( or at least mine was). Everything else I did the same. Just one more tip, once your agar agar mixture is thick enough IMMEDIATELY remove from the heat and pour into mixing bowl, I walked away for 30 seconds and came back it was ruined had to trash it. Thanks for such a delicious recipe!”
How long can they last (freshness/taste wise) and do you refrigerate them in a closed container? I want to make them for an event in advance. Thanks
Hi Alina, I have enjoyed them up to 3 days after making. Maybe they could last longer but I haven’t maxed them out further. I kept them in an airtight container at room temperature (low humidity area)
Hi, Natasha. I intend to try the recipe today, but I need them in two days after the 12 hrs of drying them. How do I keep them? Should I cover them lightly or put them in the airtight container? I usually keep the store bought zephyr well covered, otherwise they dry out. Thank you
You can cover them with plastic wrap after they are dusted with powdered sugar or put them in an airtight container and keep them in a low humidity room temperature area.
Taste really good. I used gelatin instead of the agar and they turned out exactly like the store bought marshmallows texture wise, but the fruity flavor made it even better. Not exactly like zephyr, but that could be because they are so fresh. Also they solidified even with the 90 degree temperature inside (dry heat though) and over 100 degrees outside. Thank you Natasha. Also I pasteurized the egg first.
I’m glad to hear you enjoy the recipe Mariya! Thanks for sharing your review and tips with other readers!
This is quite attractive! when I prepared mine it was a bit dark. Don’t know which ingredient was too much.
I’m guessing it probably was adding too much blackberry syrup since that is the only thing that really gives it any color.
Hi Natasha, made these goodies on Saturday, and for some reason it’s already 2nd day and they still “sticky”. We keep house 73F over night, but i assume VA weather is enough humid on summer for them not to get dry :(. will be trying them on Fall definitely. 🙂
Hi Marina, it is ok for them to be slightly sticky, especially with high humidity. You can still try to roll them in powdered sugar and see if that solves the stickiness problem 🙂
I am trying these for the first time ever. I the recipe was easier than I thought it would be. I substituted unflavored gelatin for the powered agar agar. I hope they will work as well. 😀
Please let me know how they turned out Laura!
Laura,
Unfortunately, gelatin will not replace the stabilizing properties of agar-agar. I buy it online from Barry Farms because I use it in my Mock Whip Frostings, all my Buttercreams (because of the high butter content – and I set up cakes in tents on islands), meringues, and in stabilized whipped cream. I believe there are other sources, like Amazon. My local Health Ford Store carries agar- agat, but the price is outrageous for a very small amount.
I love these. I’ve never thought of making with blackberries. When I pipe mine out I like to bury the tails underneath, like doing a cake covered with rosettes.
I love that idea also! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This zephyr is awesome! Tastes exactly as the one I had as a child, simple ingredients and easy to make! I have one wish, would be great if you could include calories intake along with receipts of all your deserts)))
I’m so happy to hear how much you love the recipe Irina! Due to time constraints, I don’t typically include nutritional info, but check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you!
Hi Natasha. 🙂 i already made these twice. The first time they took about two days to dry, but they were really good. The second time though they turned powdery, not at all what zephyr is supposed to be like. Could i have whipped the mixture too long? Or what else could be the reason? I used exact measurements.
Hi Lena, are you living in a humid area? Also, are you keeping them uncovered at room temperature (about 70˚F). 2 days is a long time for these to dry. I’m not sure why they would turn powdery though – I haven’t had that happen before. Maybe someone else has some insight into that?
Natasha, anyway to make them white and still have a fruitie flavor?:)
I made these last week and they were yummy!! Just trying to make some white ones for a wedding!
Maybe with apple puree but it still wouldn’t be completely white. I haven’t come across any fruity flavored ones that were white. Maybe someone else has some insight into this? Thanks in advance! 🙂
I was wondering if I could use plain gelatin instead of the agar?
Lisa, the recipe requires agar agar and will not work with gelatin.
Natasha thank you for this wonderful recipe, I made these with strawberries instead of blackberries and they turned out So Goood! 😉
YAY! I’m glad to hear the recipe works well with other fruits! Thanks for sharing your review with other readers Katie!
Hi Natasha, can i use strawberry for this recipe ??
I haven’t tried it myself but I have had readers report great results substituting with strawberries.
Natasha, big thank u for the best Zeffir, I made before using other recepies didn’t turn that good. I tried u recipe today & turned very well plus not a big porshion for family of 4, love it! Big thanks for u hard work & an amazing recepies I use u site everyday ! God bless!
I’m glad to hear everyone loves recipe Oksana! Thanks for following and sharing your thoughtful review!
Oh and also, the recipe calls for 2 cups or 8oz blackberries. Is it 8oz total or 2 8oz containers?
Hi Sveta – Mine cake in 6 oz containers so I used 1 1/2 containers. If you put it into a measuring cup, it is 2 cups of berries. I’ll clarify in the recipe.
Hi Natasha,
Can I use hand mixer for this recipe, since that’s all I have?
Hi Sveta, yes. Make sure you check the notes at the bottom of the print-friendly.
Thank you
I make it but it’s still wet after 12 hours. I’m in Viet Nam (Asian) and room temperature is between 35 – 38 oC. May I have to put it in fridge (15 oC)? But after that, how can I storage it?
Hi Emma, I’m not sure since the refrigerator is not idea for these due to moisture in the refrigerator and other food smells. 35-38˚C is also very warm for these. Wow it is hot where you live!! Is it also very humid? These will have a hard time setting properly in a very humid climate. I think if it was dry and warm, that would work better than humid and warm…
I made my zephyr and they looked perfect, but they were still wet after 12 hours..and I live in Oregon, so it’s somewhat humid right now but not entirely..what else can be a factor?
Hi Kseniya, humidity may be the culprit but some other things to consider: it may be due to undercooking the agar mixture – I cook at a low boil for the full 5 minutes for it to thicken. Also, be sure not to add more than 1/2 cup of your fruit syrup and make sure it is fully cooled and no longer warm to the touch. I hope that helps! 🙂
Hi, i tried it and came nice only issue i am experiencing is even afyer ober night they are still not like marshmellow. I gollowed recipe pretty thourouly.
Hi Tim, did you use agar agar and no more than 1/2 cup of fruit puree? The measurements should be precise in this recipe to get the right consistency. They don’t get as dry as store-bought marshmallows (they are a slightly more moist inside) and the outside should no longer stick to your finger tips after letting them rest overnight. Also, did you allow the agar syrup to cook at a low boil for 5 minutes – the timing of this is because agar agar needs to reach a certain temperature to work properly. I sure hope that helps! 🙂
I made mine with blueberries today, they turned out just as nice but they were more of a deeper purple than the blackberry ones and less of a blue like you would think. Also instead of putting the blueberry mixture through a sieve I put it in a mini food processor & pulsed it really well. This turned out better than putting it through a sieve because blueberry seeds are much smaller than blackberry ones plus I wasn’t getting much syrup through the sieve process. You can also skip the ice water bath after pulsing it because it’s thick enough ( or at least mine was). Everything else I did the same. Just one more tip, once your agar agar mixture is thick enough IMMEDIATELY remove from the heat and pour into mixing bowl, I walked away for 30 seconds and came back it was ruined had to trash it. Thanks for such a delicious recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing your tips with us Tanya. It’s great to know that it works with blueberry – there were a couple other people that asked about that specifically and I wasn’t sure. Thanks again!! 🙂
Hi Natasha!
May I ask what kind of whisker you are using here? Looks very comfortable …) ?
Thanks!
Hi Ana, the whisk I’m using is a Zwilling whisk and I do love it! 🙂
Thanks! :):)
My pleasure Ana 🙂
Does it really take 7 hours for preparation?
Hi Elona, that time is just letting the marshmallows rest. It’s not really preparation time at all.
How far ahead can you make them? I mean, can they sit for a couple days and still taste the same?
And by the way, I love all your recipes! This is my go to site.
Hi Irina, I have made them a couple of days in advance and they were still great 😉
Hello, can I make this recipe with strawberries?
please
I haven’t tried that but I think it could work. You may need to cook the strawberry puree a little longer so it thickens since strawberry juice tends to be a little more watery and be sure not to add more than 1/2 cup of puree. Let me know if you try it 🙂
Wow, it looks so beautiful!!! My 5 year old daughter wants this pretty pink flowers for her birthday:)
They taste as good as they look Jessi! Please let me know what you think of the recipe if you decide to make these!
Hi Natasha,
Can i use it without egg white?
Hi Steven, I haven’t tried any other substitution as this is traditionally made with egg white. I can’t think of anything else that will cause it to rise properly like the egg white.
These are the prettiest marshmallows I’ve ever seen, Natasha! Love the recipe!
Thank you, aren’t they gorgeous!? They tastes as good as they look too Julia!
I buy agar agar at Vietnamese store in my town. It will say “agar-agar” on a package on English or you can ask any workers there and explain what are you looking for and they will show you .
Hi Anna, thank you for sharing!
Hello Natasha, could I use gelatin powder instead of the agar?
Thank you,
Ella
Hi Ella, I haven’t tried that replacement since this recipe is typically made with agar agar powder. One of my readers reported using gelatin powder but she said they didn’t turn out quite right so I think there needs to be some modifications to try using regular unflavored gelatin powder but without testing it myself, I really can’t say for sure.
Thank-you for the perfect zephyr recipe! One suggestion- please use either ‘syrup’ or ‘purée’ consistently when talking about the sweet blackberry mixture, I got confused multiple times regarding what to put in the mixer, whether you wanted me to use the syrup= drained juice with sugar or the purée = leftover mushy stuff after draining syrup.
*thankful for the backup video that cleared up my misunderstanding 🙂
Thank you so much for catching that!! Fixed!! 🙂
Hi Natasha, I want to make these for a boy baby shower I am giving. Can I substitute blueberries for blackberries? If you think that will work, would Fresh lemon juice (Meyer 🍋?) be best, or fresh key lime juice? Thanks these are so beautiful, and I am a “foodie”, but have never heard of, or seen them before. It sounds to me like, if a Meringue and a Gourmet Marshmallow had a delicious baby-this would be it. I think I will serve mine singly, not doubled up, so they can sit flat. Since it has egg white in it, is there a salmonella risk? Should they be refrigerated? Thanks so much! This is my 1st “Grand” , so I want it to be especially memorable 💙👍🏼
Hi Lisa, I haven’t tried blueberries so I really can’t advise on that. I love it with fresh lemon juice. Ha ha I love your comparison – that sounds about right! 🙂 Single will still be beautiful and just as delicious ofcourse. Make sure to read my note about the egg whites towards the bottom of the post which should help :). Congratulations on your first “Grand”!! 🙂 So excited for you!!
Hello Natasha,
Do you know why they might not dry completely? Its been over 12 hrs…. I think I did my agar syrup wrong(. It wasnt thikening, so I kept cooking it for another like 4 minuets.. It still looked a little runny when I added it to the rest of the mixture…. Any suggestions? Thank you!!
Btw, I love your recipies! This is the only site I cook from).
Hi Oksana, did you do anything different in the process or measurements? The marshmallows aren’t supposed to dry completely – you still want them to be very soft inside, but form a thin film over the top so they should not stick to your fingers when you touch them. I hope that helps! Also, if you use a much smaller deep saucepan, there would be less surface area and you would need to cook the syrup a little longer, but I’m wondering if maybe you had too much water in the mixture if it took that long? Also, did you cook the berry mixture long enough for it to get slightly thickened and not watery? Did you use something besides blackberry syrup or use more than 1/2 cup of it?
I tried to use about the same pan size you had in the video… I think maybe I did add slightly more water.. I’ll try to make this again, hopefully it’ll turn out. I love zephyr, and tried many recipies before. Never turned out correctly. I was excited when you posted this recipie, because your recipies always turn out very good!). The zephyr looked very good when I was piping it. The only thing was that it didn’t get that film on top; and was sticking to my fingers. I am pretty sure my agar agar was wrong…. I’ll give t another try. Thank you for your suggestions!! 😘
Hi Oksana, also, make sure you are using agar agar powder and not the regular unflavored gelatin like the Knox brand that you can find in most grocer stores. This recipe is intended to be used with the agar agar only. I had one other reader report not so great results with regular gelatin when trying to substitute. I hope that helps!
Finally, zephir! Thank you, Natasha. I have been craving for them for so long. Can’t wait to try the recipe.
You are welcome Olga, it was simpler than I anticipated. Let me know how it turns out 😬.
Thanks for sharing this recipe.Yes its simple recipe then I have.I have the 1 w/jello. I saw u didn’t put on parchment paper no powdered sugar,but on my recipe u have to other wise it will be hard to get them out,is that true though?
Hi Olga, once it is set, they come off fairly easily from the parchment. I do not sprinkle with powdered sugar because I want the flat side to adhere to a second half. If you make it completely non-sticky, the two sides won’t stay together. I hope you love this version! 🙂
Super cool! This looks so fun. Want to try it!
They are fun AND delicious! Please let me know what you think Katherine!
Looks delicious! My husband doesn’t really like the blackberrries. Do you think I can sub with raspberries?
Hi Olga, one of my readers just said she used raspberries with great results. 🙂
You can use apples too, I use apples 🙂
Can you use this instead of frosting for a cake? Also, do you have to use blackberries?
I think this would work instead of frosting for a cake, but you would need to either pipe or spread it right away since it does get more difficult to spread and pipe as the mixture sits. If you want to make it for a cake, be sure the rest of your cake is ready to assemble once the marshmallow cream is done. Now I’m really curious about what you’re planning! Keep me posted!
If using it as a frosting for the cake the procedure would be the same to keep it at the room temperature or can it be placed in the fridge?
I would keep it at room temperature without refrigerating. Keep that in mind with however you are making your cake – you might avoid ingredients that would spoil at room temperature such as fruit purees, etc.
I am so excited about this recipe!! My husbands favorite! I’ve been wanting to make these for so long!! Love the video! I’m a visual learner so those help me a lot. Question, can I use other berries like strawberry or blue berry? I have lots of those in my fridge right now.
Thanks again!
I do think different kinds of berries would work, but you may need varying amounts since some berries are juicier than others and you may need to cook them slightly longer if your berry juice looks very watery. Make sure you are not adding more than half a cup of berries syrup and the berry syrup should be slightly thickened (not watery) even before you cool it. One of my readers reported great results using raspberries and even posted a picture on my new Facebook group page. Let me know if you experiment with anything else.
These look so amazing! So beautiful! I’m planning on having a tea party soon, and these would be perfect!
They taste as good as they look too! Please let me know what you and your guests think!
Oh my… these look amazing! I’ve been making them for years from Leascooking blog. This recipe looks so much better… cuz no artifical colors or flavors invloved!! Yay!! Cannot wait to make these.
Hi Svetlana! I haven’t tried that one but I do also love that this recipe is all-natural and that beautiful color and flavor is from fresh berries. They really are addictively delicious! 🙂 I hope you love them!
Two questions. Do these taste more like meringue than traditional homemade marshmallows?
Also, can you safely double the batch using one bowl, or is it best to make one batch at a time?
Hi Rebecca, because these expand quite a bit as they whip, it is best to make one batch at a time so the mixture whips properly and doesn’t overwhelm the mixer. It doesn’t really “taste” like either one. It has a unique and amazing fresh blackberry flavor – they are cloudlike and fluffy – softer and more melt-in-your mouth than regular marshmallows.
Natasha, have you tried this recipe with frozen blackberries?
Hi Zhanna, frozen blackberries should work just as well.
Wow awesome recipe. I love zefir. Will gelatin work? Instead of agar agar?
Hi Victoriya, this recipe is intended for agar agar and that is the only way I have tested it and I’m assuming you would have to make some modifications with regular unflavored gelatin. I love the agar agar because it doesn’t have any scent when heated which I have noticed when working with unflavored gelatin which is a pork-based product.
Hi Natasha,
I really love your recipes and videos. I cook a lot and really appreciate that your videos are short and to the point. I tried several of your recipes and they are very delicious. I really like your happy, joking attitude. You are super! I kind of miss that music you used to have before with the ukuleles and whistling. Wish you lots of success in this field.
Thanks you for following and leaving such a thoughtful review! I will note your music preference! 🙂
Oh my goodness these are STUNNING! On our last trip to Russia I was reminded how delicious they could be! My kids couldn’t stop eating dark chocolate covered zefir in Saint Petersburg but I am sure your homemade ones are miles tastier though! Heavenly!
OH MY GOODNESS! Dark chocolate covered zephyr sounds crazy amazing! Thanks for the idea!
I have been looking for this recipe for a long time! Have tried several and hope this will do the trick;)
Question can I use frozen fruit?
Hi Sveta, frozen blackberries should work just as well. I hope you love the recipe! 🙂
Guess what I’ll be making in the next couple of hours. Will let you know how it goes. Thank you for posting just when I was gonna go looking for my recipe. I know I won’t be disappointed
Oh what perfect timing! I hope you love the recipe!! 🙂
OMG how timely! Thank you thank you thank you for the recipe!
My pleasure Marina! Please let me know what you think! 🙂
These look so pretty! We have so many blackberries growing wild around our horse paddocks, and I like to make apple & blackberry pie, or blackberry jam. When blackberry season comes around again, I’ll definitely be adding these to my list!
They are as good as they look too! Please let me know what you think Roz!
Wow, this is definitely something I want to try. I love meringue and I also love marshmallows, so best combination here!
It is divine! Please let me know what you think Jenny!