The Marshmallowist

The Marshmallowist was the first producer of gourmet marshmallows in the UK. Using premium ingredients - only whole fresh fruits, organic herbs & spices and boutique alcohol - The Marshmallowist combine classic confectionery with unexpected flavours.

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DIY S’mores grazing board!

Every so often a trend comes along that I can really get on board with. Like everyone wearing Stan Smith trainers instead of heels on a night out. OR when we all became slightly obsessed with houseplants. And now… grazing tables. I bloody love a grazing table. It’s a bit like a buffet but, also, not. It’s decadent, lush, abundant, fresh, tasty little bits of mmmm. It’s almost exactly what I want to eat all the time. If I was a Mariah level of celebrity I would ask for every room I entered to have a grazing table (and to be filled with puppies)

Handily, grazing tables are the new big trend- it’s an American thing that’s drifted over here on the winds of Pintrest. Normally they are filled with cured meats, cheeses, olives, fresh bread, crudités and dried fruits. A colourful feast to relax into. An epic spread that forms the centrepiece to your event. But… to give it a Marshmallowist twist…what if… all of that was sweet? And what if…all the sweet things on the table could be eaten on their own OR brought together to make the most gorgeous S’mores? Well, I’ve just jumped ahead and done that for you. I’ve created the most luxe way to eat S’mores and now I’m going to chat you through how you can do it too. From gourmet marshmallows to pots of salted caramel, shards of chocolate, handmade cinnamon graham crackers and- of course- an abundance of fresh fruit and nuts.

Place your board on the flat surface or table you want to serve from. If you want to produce something truly show stopping (that’s easy to clean away) then roll out a length of brown greaseproof paper and use a small strip of masking tape to attach it to your table.

If you’re creating a S’mores board then the marshmallows really need to be the focus. I’ve used 4 different flavours here for variety of colour and taste. Pop the mallows in small stacks across your board.

Prepare a selection of seasonal fruits. Now, I’m not going to be too prescriptive here but you generally want to have fruit that can be eaten easily by hand ( no stones or pips) I’ve chopped the fruit into halves and slices then used the smaller fruit slices to edge the corners of the board and the larger pieces to draw the eye.

Place pots of dipping chocolate at either side of the board for easy access. You don’t want to be scrambling over chocolate so I would recommend smaller pots and more of them. You can make your own dipping chocolate by:

melting 50g of dark or white chocolate over a Bain Marie.

Heat 125ml double cream and 25g butter in a small saucepan until evenly combined. Remove from the heat and stir through the melted chocolate.

I would recommend serving this slightly warm.

Fill the remaining gaps with spikes of chocolate shards and close stacks of graham crackers or biscuits. I would recommend a thin crisp biscuit here. They let the marshmallow remain the star and are also handy for snapping off a little corner for a dip in the chocolate or a nibble.

Now, frame your board using foliage- fresh eucalyptus looks beautiful, bold palms look incredible AND on trend.

We serve this with indoor braziers- you can pop the lid off them and use inside. But you can have this near a roaring firepit or bbq.Then get creative- dip the fruit into the melted chocolate, snap off a few biscuits, and toast marshmallows until they’re burnt and gooey. Get messy, be relaxed and indulge because this table is as a beautiful to look at, as it is to eat!

And that’s it- look at you being all trendy! You can order one of your own S’mores boards here or…we’ve teamed up with Mirabeau wine for you to win a Magnum of Provence Rosé and a S’mores board for you next party- just pop over to our instagram to find out more.

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Toasted Marshmallow Ice-Cream

Phew! What a scorcher. We're looking for any excuse to get out of the kitchen this week and we've got just the recipe to do it. Yup, toasted marshmallow ice cream. All the very best of summer joys from smoky festival campfires to sun speckled beaches- churned into each indulgent lick. I use an ice cream maker to whip this up- but it is also pretty easy to make by hand, you just need a fork and some wrists that fancy a work out.

° 120g of our marshmallows- all flavours work fabulously but my fave is coconut for this recipe. ° a drip of flavourless vegetable oil ( for your spatula) ° 250ml whole milk ° 5 large egg yolks ° 100g golden caster sugar ° 1⁄4 tsp salt ° 700ml double cream ° 2 large handfuls of ice cubes

1 / Line a baking tray with baking parchment, and preheat the grill to medium-high. Set the marshmallows on the prepared tray and pop under the grill. When they are all slightly browned on one side, turn them over with an oiled spatula to toast on the other side. Set aside. You can also toast them over the stove- WAY more fun but a but trickier to catch in the pan.

2 / Using a medium-sized pan, heat the milk until it starts to simmer. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt. When the milk starts to simmer, take the pan off the heat and pour half the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking vigorously until fully incorporated. Whisk all the egg yolk mixture into the hot milk in the saucepan.

3 / Cook over a low heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon to ensure that the eggs don’t curdle. The custard is ready when it is thick enough to hold a finger-drawn line across the back of the wooden spoon without dripping.

4 / Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the cream and toasted marshmallows. For making ice cream, it’s really important to cool the custard as quickly as possible, so transfer it to a cold bowl sat in a larger bowl filled with water and ice cubes and stir occasionally until cool. Once cool, strain the custard into a sealable container and place in the fridge overnight (it will keep for a couple of days).

5 / Pour the ice cream mix into an ice cream maker and, once churned, cover and freeze for 1 hour before serving. Or, to make the ice cream by hand, stir it well with a fork and place in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove and beat with a fork until uniform in consistency. Repeat 3 times, then freeze, covered, for 1 hour before serving.

Then get outside and make the most of this sunshine!

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Marshmallow & Macadamia Blondies

The sun is shining and my mind has already turned to picnic food. This nutty mallow tray bake is my go to recipe for an Atomic end to outdoor feasting. Yup, its a blondie! The Debbie Harry to Chrissie Hynde’s brownie- lighter on top but with the same tight leather trousers and uncompromising stare; a statuesque grande dame of the dessert world, as satisfying as that laconic rap in Rapture and a smudgy rim of eyeliner. I use Raspberry & Champagne marshmallows to further lighten the texture- my culinary equivalent of sun- in peroxide.

Ingredients ( Makes 12)

125g unsalted butter, plus a smudge more for the tin


180g 
white chocolate, chopped

4 medium eggs

150g golden caster sugar

200g white caster sugar

250g plain flour


1⁄4 tsp baking powder

pinch of seasalt flakes


150g Raspberry & Champagne Marshmallows, chopped

100g toasted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped


50g pistachio nuts, roughly chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4.

Line a 20cm square cake tin
with greaseproof paper and butter it well.

Melt the butter in a small heavy-based saucepan and cook over a low heat until it is an amber colour.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate pieces and melt slowly, stirring occasionally, before leaving to cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs and both sugars together in a stand mixer (or with a hand-held whisk) until pale and mousse-like in texture. This will take about 5 minutes.


Gently pour the melted chocolate and butter mixture into the sweetened egg mixture and whisk lightly until combined.

Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and fold in gently.

Add the Raspberry and Champagne marshmallows and pistachios, and stir until well distributed.


Scatter the chopped macadamia nuts over the prepared tin.

Scrape the blondie mixture into the tray and smooth out.

Bake in the hot oven for 30–35 minutes (depending on how gooey you like your blondies, I recommend checking very frequently at this stage with the tip of a skewer).


Remove from the oven and leave in the tin to cool for at least 1 hour.

Cut into squares with a sharp knife, then lift them out of the tin.

These will keep for 3 days in an airtight container, or if you have any leftover they can be frozen for up to a month- yum!

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5 Party planning treats for Malloween

Throwing a spooky celebration this week? We LOVE a Malloween party here as it gives us the perfect excuse to get a bit more creative with our confectionery. To throw a Halloween bash with a grown up edge it’s best to skip the themed and stick to the seasonal. So here are my top tips for sweetening your party with a Marshmallowist treat...

1 / Add a mallowy twist to a classic dark rhum punch- Mix a spiced rhum with apple juice, fiery ginger beer and dash of citrus then pop a marshmallow on top- toast the marshmallow using a flame to create a rich caramelised treat. Not just a playful garnish but gives a ‘bobbing for apples’ twist to your welcome drink.

2 / Nothing screams Halloween more then a colourful autumnal pumpkin. I roast the pumpkin then scoop out the flesh to make a rich puree forming the filling of my pumpkin pie. (saving the seeds to caramelise with warm spices and dark sugar to sprinkle on top). This versatile veg, when mixed with ginger and cinnamon and smoothed into a shortcrust pastry case is an all American classic. Style it with a smoky twist by topping with toasted marshmallows.

3 / Yes, we might be celebrating Halloween but it’s the Mexican Dia de Muertos that gave me inspiration for this marshmallow treat. Tequila, Lime and Chilli- Tequila is not just for regretful nights on your summer holidays. Sprinkle your mallows with spicy chilli flakes, serve with a shot of tequila and a finish with a squeeze of lime- a scarily pleasant trick with which to treat your guests!

4 /  Bake a bumper crop of whole apples with a pinch of nutmeg, brown sugar and cinnamon for 30 mins. Top with marshmallows -I love the fiery Passionfruit + Ginger- and add a splash of Whisky. Flash under a hot grill for no more than 10 seconds to create a caramelised autumnal indulgence. Serve with a dollop of tangy crème fraiche or a whip of double cream.

5 / BOO! zy- Marshmallow Ghosts (Warning- May Contain Spirits!)

Melt your marshmallows down in a hot pan - try the creamy Toasted Coconut for this recipe- made from the flesh of whole coconuts.  Add a shot of your favourite tipple into the marshmallow mixture- Gin or Rhum work well. Spoon your boozy marshmallow mixture into a piping bag, cut off the tip, then holding the bag firmly, squeeze out the mixture into soft swirls with a peak. You’ll soon have a tray of marshmallow ‘ghosts’. Use a small paintbrush and a natural black food colouring to dot in two spooky eyes!

Happy Malloween x

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Caramlised Apple Marshmallows

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you who Juliet Sear is… She’s the baker and cake maker extraordinaire who also happens to be ITV’s This Morning go-to for all things sweet. And she’s now been given her own TV show! Because not only is she bloody fabulous, but she also knows EVERYONE in the world of baking and confectionery.  It started 2 weeks ago and if you haven’t watched it then get yourself over to catch up…pronto. I first came across Julia when she released her book ‘Cakeology’ because the super talented photographer, Helen Cathcart, was  also the photographer for my Marshmallowist book. And , well, we all fell head over heels for Julia’s stunningly innovative creations. Just look…

So when I got a phone call asking if  I  would like to be on Julia’s new programme I couldn’t believe my luck… 'Would I like to come and chat all things marshmallows on an Autumn themed episode- whip up a seasonal marshmallow flavour for the show and hang out with Julia for the afternoon?'...Hold my hot chocolate…

I’ve been on telly a few times. It never gets any less nerve wracking. Even when I’m just showing how to make marshmallows- something I have done every day for nearly 10 years- I still feel that ‘did I forget something panic’ and the ‘did I talk too fast’ flashbacks. Thankfully, I couldn’t have been made to feel more at ease and the recipe is an absolute stunner- and one of my autumnal indulgences -Caramelised Apple. A warming, cinnamony marshmallow that tastes incredible on it’s own but also creates the cosiest hot chocolate topping I’ve ever had. I’ll be showing you how to make these yourself step- by- step on this Sunday 17th November on the Beautiful Baking Show with Juliet Sear and I’ve popped the full recipe for you to get stuck in to at home.

240ml liquid glucose

27g Fish gelatine

300g granulated sugar

230g apple purée

a pinch each of nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger

500g Confectioners mix ( 250g icing sugar/ mixed with 250g cornflour - for dusting)

Line a 25cm square baking tin with cling film and use a teaspoon of veg oil to coat the film. In a microwaveable bowl, soak the gelatine in 300ml of cold water for 5 minutes. Wring out the gelatine gently to remove excess water (pour away any remaining water in the bowl). Return the gelatine to the bowl and heat in a microwave for about 1 minute, or until completely melted, but keep an eye on it and do not let it boil or it will lose its setting properties.

Put all the granulated sugar, glucose, apple purée and spices into a heavy-based saucepan and place over a medium heat. Using a sugar thermometer in the saucepan, bring the mixture up to 112°C, stirring occasionally so it does not catch on the pan.

When the mixture in the saucepan has reached 112°C, slowly pour the hot liquid in a slow, steady stream into the mixer, still running at a very low speed. Add the melted gelatine, then increase the speed to medium and whisk for 10 minutes. The marshmallow mixture will begin to firm up.

Once the marshmallow mix has tripled in volume and drops slowly off the whisk in thick ribbons, pour it into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a dampened palette knife or spatula. Dust the top of the mallows with confectioners mix and leave to set at room temperature for 6 hours (or, even better, overnight) before cutting.

Dust a work surface with confectioners mix and Carefully tip the set marshmallow slab out of the tin, using the corners of the cling film to give you some lift. Dip a sharp knife in hot water to heat it, trim the edges of the marsh- mallow slab neatly, then cut into 4cm squares.

Toss the cut mallows into the bowl of confectioners mix and fully coat. Put them in a sieve and gently shake off any excess dust. They are now ready to be eaten, popped in bags as gifts or they will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

And once you’ve tried homemade marshmallows you’ll never want the shop bought ones again (But, because I love you, I’ve also whipped up some extras for you to buy here)

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Baileys Bonfire S’more Recipe

So, like the rest of Instagram, autumn is my favourite time of year and Bonfire Night is, undoubtedly, my favourite night. I plan Bonfire Night like other people plan birthdays or Christmas. From mittens, lined boots, sparklers, toffee apples, flasks of spiced rum- to the exhilaration of skipping down gloomy streets leading to fizzing municipal firework displays. Pavements spilling out with kids who are allowed to stay up late and grown ups cupping hot dogs and pies in gloved hands instead of having to cook dinner. And school night bonfire nights? Well they are the best nights of all!

So when Baileys asked me to collaborate on whipping them up a bonfire night recipe I was all in. November 5th is calling out for toasted marshmallows with a fire cracking flair. This isn’t just marshmallows for soaking up the last embers of the bonfire - this recipe is the Catherine wheel, the glitter flair and the rockets too. My most show-stopping S'more to date.   So here's how to make your bonfire night go with a bang: Bailey’s Bonfire S’more You will need: Bailey’s Original Irish Cream Marshmallow - available to buy online here Bailey’s Original ganache Spiced Ginger Biscuit 70% dark chocolate shard Hazelnut Caramel Fireworks Sparklers Bailey’s Original ganache: Makes 275g of ganache Place the chocolate in a large bowl Combine the cream and Baileys together in a medium saucepan. Gently heat until simmering. Remove from heat and pour the cream mixture slowly over the chocolate. Stir with a spatula until fully combined and the ganache is smooth and glossy. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before using. To assemble First chop your chocolate into large shards. Place a large teaspoon of Bailey’s Original ganache onto a thin spiced ginger biscuit. Toast your Bailey's Original Irish cream marshmallow over a bonfire/flame/ hob and squish over the ganache before placing a shard of chocolate on top and sandwiching it with a final biscuit.