Both the Toasted Coconut and Vanilla Marshmallow Meltaways from Sweet & Sara were among the best we tasted in a field of dozens of brands—and they’re vegan, not made with gelatin like almost all the other marshmallows. Bravo! Photo by Dhanraj Emanuel.
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STEPHANIE ZONIS is a Contributing Editor.
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November 2007
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Marshmallow Madness
The Flavorful New World Of American Marshmallows
CAPSULE REPORT: The Revolution will not be Jet-Puffed, says Stephanie Zonis. She should know, after tracking down and tasting scores of America’s finest marshmallows. A marshmallow is no longer a grocery-store confection, suitable for campfire s’mores or (zut alors!) the sweet potato recipes of childhood. Today’s artisan marshmallows can be gourmet desserts—by themselves, as petit fours, or “a la mode”—think of a handmade cinnamon marshmallow atop a piece of warm apple pie. This article is an overview of gourmet marshmallows. Our taste test, where we name our favorite marshmallows, is in Part II.
Marshmallows? They’re fluffy, white, sweet things that come in a bag in the supermarket. Kids clamor for them in hot cocoa; they’re mandatory for s’mores, but that’s about it.
If that’s what you think, we hope to change your mind; because you’re missing out on some incredible marshmallows, made by boutique confectioners throughout the U.S. They create marshmallows with care and devotion, and going far beyond vanilla, make them in some stunning flavors. These artisans have figured out that marshmallows can compete as a great confection; that they can elevate to new heights anything from a brownie to sweet potatoes to that traditional cup of hot cocoa. The marshmallows made by the best of these small producers are a gourmet sweet that can even be eaten for dessert by themselves.
Boutique marshmallows make an unusual and delicious gift for the most discriminating foodie...or your favorite youngsters. We’ve sourced some of the best for you...but first, let’s take a look at how we came to know that commercial blob of white that pops into our minds the minute we hear the word “marshmallow.”
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Looking like petit fours, Vanilla Dipped Marshmallows from Tuccelli are handmade and coated
in white Callebaut chocolate. Read more about
Tuccelli in Part II, when we present delicious artisan marshmallows. |
History: A Sticky Past
The marshmallows of today are a far cry from their ancient ancestors. Marshmallows take their name from the marsh mallow plant (Althea officinalis). The root of the marsh mallow plant produces a sticky, white, almost jelly-like substance. Supposedly, the Egyptians took advantage of it as early as 2000 B.C.E., combining it with honey to make a candy. The Greeks, (and, later, Arabs and Indians), used marsh mallow for medicinal purposes, often as an ingredient in preparations to quiet coughs. According to Tim Richardson in Sweets: A History of Candy, in the medieval era, pieces of marsh mallow root were candied as sweets; by the 1600s, however, they were being prescribed for urinary problems.
The transition to the modern-day marshmallow began with the French; most sources date these early modern marshmallows to around 1850. A concoction of egg whites, water, and sugar or corn syrup, with the sap of the marsh mallow root as a binder, was heated and beaten to a froth.* Marshmallows were molded individually, in molds  dusted with corn starch. As equipment and methods advanced, mass production of marshmallows became possible, and by 1900 they were being sold as penny candy. Gradually, gelatin replaced the root of the marsh mallow as the binding agent, but the candy still kept the old name. And the use of egg whites in commercially-made marshmallows has largely gone by the wayside, as well. Today’s marshmallows are made from sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, cornstarch, confectioners’ sugar and flavorings (including salt). Honey, water and invert sugar may also be used (invert sugar, says the Sugarcraft, Inc. website, combines sugar syrup with a small amount of an acid, such as lemon juice, to break down the sugar into its two components, glucose and fructose, a process also called “inverting.” This inversion reduces the size of sugar crystals and can yield a smoother end-product.) There are even sugar-free marshmallows made with maltitol. I have not had them, but according to our editorial director, they’re delicious. (See our review of La Nouba Sugar-Free Marshmallows, shown in the photo above.)
*Today’s artisan marshmallows use pure cane sugar, water, egg whites, gelatin, corn syrup, pure vanilla extract, salt, flavorings, and, in some flavors, natural or artificial colorings.
More Modern Mallows
Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, made by Kraft, were introduced in the early 1950s. They employed a new technique, in which all ingredients were whipped together during the  heating process. The marshmallow mass was then cooled slightly before being extruded. This, and the fact that the ingredients used are relatively cheap, allows Kraft to make vast quantities of marshmallows inexpensively. That’s just as well, since the Jet-Puffed brand has been the best-selling marshmallow in the U.S. for more than 40 years. USA Today, in a recent article, noted that the marshmallow industry accounts for $132 million annually; a very substantial percentage of that is from sales of Jet-Puffed. A great many Americans—I’m one—grew up on these marshmallows. To my way of thinking, however, they have a major disadvantage to anyone with a palate: They lack any character or real flavor. They’re sweet and rather spongy, but that’s about it.
By contrast, most boutique marshmallows are more tender and delicate. Even the plain vanilla examples of these marshmallows really taste like something, and that vanilla base often serves as a building block for sweets with more than one level of flavor.
Perhaps the most frequently-seen embellishment of gourmet marshmallows is a covering of chocolate. Some companies start with vanilla marshmallows, but roll the exteriors in a cocoa or cinnamon formula. One producer, Artisan Candies, actually tops vanilla marshmallows with creative combinations of flavors, although I was unable to try any of the topped marshmallows because of hot weather conditions that precluded shipping when the research for this article was underway. (They arrived at THE NIBBLE offices after this article was turned in, and were a big hit.) My Flour Garden Bakery, which also produces “topped” marshmallows like the Mocha Chipster monsters at the right, wowed us not only with their toppings, but with their overall creativity (their Trail Mix marshmallow has trail mix mixed into the batter).
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These Mocha Chipster marshmallows from My Flour Garden may look formidable, but the marshmallow is delicate, and has no resemblance to Jet-Puffed or other commercial fare. Photo by Dhanraj Emanuel. |
Caramel & Marshmallow
Caramel and marshmallows are a much-loved combination, too. In some cases, a marshmallow will acquire a bottom layer of caramel before the entire confection is covered in chocolate (these are sometimes called caramallows). But the most notable example of this pairing is the specialty confection known as a “Modjeska.” Madame Helen Modjeska was a renowned European actress when she made her American debut in 1883 in Kentucky. A local candy maker, Anton Busath, was enthralled by her performance of Nora in “A Doll’s House,” and asked her permission to name his latest confection after her. If you’ve never had one, a Modjeska is a marshmallow center  wrapped with caramel. To me, these redefine the word “sweet,” but they are treasured treats in some areas of the country. Busath Candy Company was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1947, but Anton had given permission to a colleague, Rudolph Bauer, to create his own version, which he called the Caramel Biscuit. A number of versions of the Modjeska are still produced today, including by Bauer’s Candy’s of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky (shown in the photo above—they have been renamed from Caramel Biscuit to Modjeska). The company is run by Rudolph’s great-granddaughter, Anna Bauer Satterwhite. You can buy them at BauersCandy.com.
Flavored Marshmallows
Other popular marshmallow flavors among artisan confectioners are chocolate (by which we mean chocolate-flavored marshmallows, not chocolate-covered ones, although you can find marshmallows that are both), coconut, coffee, mocha, peppermint and strawberry. But the creative nature of marshmallow producers doesn’t stop there. If you’re craving something a little more unusual, try the Jumpin’ Jack Daniels or Black Jelly Bean offered by Laura’s Candy; or Dolcezza Etc.’s Sambuca or their Black Forest (both are made with liqueurs, but it’s said that almost all of the alcohol evaporates during the cooking process). Still not sufficiently adventurous for you? No problem! My Flour Garden Bakery produces these confections in Pandan, Taro and Matcha (green tea) varieties, among others. I have been left open-mouthed at the imaginative variations on the basic marshmallow flavor conjured up by some boutique producers. |
Chocolate marshmallows are a favorite. These are from Tiny Trapeze, available at Whole Foods Markets. |
Jumbo Marshmallows
Some marshmallows are petite—just a bite; some are mammoth, the size of a dessert portion. Does size matter? If you want to be overwhelmed by marshmallow goodness, there are companies that cater to your specifics. The marshmallows tasted for this article were of sizes that varied considerably, from the smaller oblongs made by Dana & Co. to the two inch cubes from Chowcolates to the 4-1/2 inch squares from Pistacia Vera. Part of the ideal marshmallow size depends on what you’ll be doing with the marshmallow, of course. A very large square of, say, cinnamon marshmallow isn’t exactly going to fit into a mug of hot chocolate, but then again it might be just what you want to top that warm apple pie for two. |
A jumbo marshmallow from Little Flower Candy
Company. |
Several producers offer marshmallows in different sizes. Dolcezza, Etc. has one inch cubes in all flavors, but additionally offers 1-1/2 inch cubes in some varieties. My Flour Garden Bakery makes regular, extra tall and jumbo (five inches square!) sizes. Some companies will accept custom orders, while others will not. If you have a special request, it’s fine to ask, but remember that not all businesses choose to work that way.
Making Marshmallows At Home
Marshmallows can be made at home, but they require some specialized equipment (such as a candy thermometer and a powerful stand mixer). You must soak gelatin; boil together sugar, corn syrup, salt and water to a specific temperature; drizzle the hot liquid into the gelatin while mixing it; and whip the mixture at high speed. At a certain point, you add flavoring and whip that in before pouring the marshmallow mixture into a prepared pan. It must then stand, uncovered, for at least seven or eight hours (sometimes much longer) before being turned out onto a surface dusted with a mixture of confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch. The marshmallows are cut with a knife or kitchen shears, the blades of which must be kept oiled, then dusted with the sugar-cornstarch mix to prevent sticking. |
Will your marshmallows look as good as these, from Tiny Trapeze? |
Marshmallows take practice and patience, and they are messy. I also cannot get my homemade marshmallows to keep for as long as any that are commercially made, and experimenting with flavors can be time-consuming. Just like fine chocolatiers, whatever the best artisan marshmallowtiers (if we may coin a word) charge for their wares is worth it.
Serving Suggestions & Recipes
THE NIBBLE Editorial Director is a huge fan of gourmet marshmallows. Here are some of the ways she likes to use them. TIP: If you need to cut marshmallows, use kitchen shears instead of a knife. (The photos in this section show different flavors of Plush Puffs.)
Snack
- No embellishment is needed when snacking on a few marshmallows, but fine marshmallows go well with fresh fruit and fruit salads—especially the Coconut sold under the Dulces del Rocío label by Split Bean Coffee (see Part II for details).
 Make the best s’mores you can imagine. Venture out beyond graham crackers and try, for example, chocolate ice box cookies with strawberry marshmallows and a slab of white chocolate. We could write an article with our favorite variations, but pick your favorite ingredients—it’s that easy. (See the Indoors S’mores recipe below.)
Recipes
- Similarly, you can add marshmallows (in smaller pieces) to luncheon salads that contain fruit.
- They melt well on hot cereal, waffles and pancakes. Match flavor to dish, as you
 would in any other pairing. Try a cinnamon marshmallow here.
- Make the best sweet potato and marshmallow casserole by upgrading your marshmallows.
- Hot chocolate is obvious, but try marshmallows in lattes or other coffee drinks (an Plush Puff’s Kona Coffee marshmallow is shown here).
Desserts
- Gourmet marshmallows could be the new whipped cream. Pair a strawberry
 marshmallow with chocolate cake. That cinnamon marshmallow is great with apple pie. You can warm it, or let the heat from the warmed pie melt it a bet. Almost any flavor tastes great atop a brownie. Yes, you can still embellish with whipped cream, bittersweet chocolate sauce or caramel (but if you don’t make your own, choose a top brand like The King’s Cupboard or Robert Lambert Dessert Sauces).
- You can make a pie topping from marshmallows. After you’ve baked your favorite custard, chocolate, or pumpkin pie, arrange gourmet marshmallows artistically on top. Bake the pie at 400°F for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the marshmallows are toasted.
 Use these deluxe marshmallows as cupcake and sundae toppers. - Dip in chocolate or caramel fondue.
- As petit fours—a plate of assorted artisan marshmallows is a light but elegant way to finish dinner.
To these, I’d like to add my cold-weather treat:
S’mores Indoors
No campfire needed, just an oven.
Ingredients
- Thin chocolate bars
- Graham crackers
- Marshmallows
- Baking sheet and aluminum foil
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 300°F, and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, shiny side up.
- For each s’more, break a graham cracker in half (the graham crackers I use measure just under 5" long by about 2-1/4" wide). Place one half (bottom side up, if you're a purist) on the lined cookie sheet. Place one large marshmallow in the center of the graham cracker half. If your marshmallow is really large, trim it to fit the graham cracker half. Kitchen shears work well here.) Have ready the other graham cracker half and a piece of a thin chocolate bar of your choice. You’ll want a piece almost large enough to cover the graham cracker half.
 Bake the graham cracker half with the marshmallow on it for 4 minutes, or until partially melted. IMPORTANT NOTE: artisanal marshmallows may need to heat for more or less time than is indicated here. Watch them carefully! You just want them hot enough to melt the chocolate.
Shown here: S’more made with Tiny Trapeze chocolate marshmallows and Tiny Trapeze graham crackers. Photo by Melody Lan. - Remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Immediately place the chocolate on top of the marshmallow. Top with the other graham cracker half (bottom side down); then press down slightly to push the chocolate into the warm marshmallow.
- Leave on the still-warm cookie sheet; allow to stand for a minute or two. Then eat immediately.
- A peanut butter cup can be substituted for the chocolate, using the technique described above.
- You can also use one or two very small candy bars, placing them on the second graham cracker half. Place that half on the cookie sheet, too, and bake along with the marshmallow (and for the same length of time). When done, carefully put the two graham cracker halves together, marshmallow and candy bar sides in, and press gently. Let stand and consume as above.
Toasting Marshmallows
Who needs a campfire—or even a fireplace? There are other ways to make a delicious toasted marshmallow!
- If you have a gas stove, you can toast the marshmallow over an open flame until it begins to brown—about a minute, depending on how “toasty” you like it. A fondue fork is ideal for toasting because it has a protective handle, but impaling the marshmallow on the tip of a long metal knife works, too. You can use skewers, too; bamboo skewers will not heat up and are easier to hold.
- For more romantic toasting, use a candle—but not a scented one. Similarly, avoid toasting over Sterno: The marshmallow will smell and taste of it. A votive candle will work, and if you’re having guests, you can put a votive at each place setting.
- For best results, hold the marshmallow about two inches away from the flame and turn it continuously. This way, the marshmallow will melts from the inside out and brown evenly.
Part II: Taste Test
Ready to discover our favorite gourmet marshmallows? Follow us to Part II.
© Copyright 2005-
2008 Lifestyle Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. Images are the copyright of their respective owners.
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