8 minute read
How to toast the perfect
from Gcfgvggbt
TIP If your melting mallows keep slipping off into the fire, use t wo ske wers to distribute the weight a nd keep them fir mly impaled
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Once upon a time, intrepid souls in ancient Egypt would slink through the dawn mists rising off the River Nile, braving banded cobras, freshwater crocodiles and aggressive hippos to search for the velvet leaves of the prized marsh mallow. Its roots were boiled in honey and the thickened sap used to make sweet treats so good that it was a crime for them to be eaten by anyone other than a pharaoh or a god. Centuries later, today’s vanilla-flavoured fluff may not feature any of the original plant extract, but it’s still a heavenly morsel when toasted over a garden firepit – especially when you know all the secrets behind roasting the perfect one!
Before we begin our marshmallow masterclass, let’s finish the story of how the plant turned into its present form – it’s a good tale to tell around the flickering flames. The marsh mallow was also in demand among the Romans and Greeks as a medicine, the key ingredient in inflammation-reducing salves (its name Althaea officinalis comes from the Greek ‘altho’, meaning ‘to heal’). In the 18th century, those healing properties led to the development of a marshmallow paste called pâté de guimauve. This French concoction of sugar, eggs and mallow extract, beaten into a foam, was used to treat coughs and sore throats. Confectioners discovered they could make a similarly tasty treat by replacing the mallow extract with gelatin, but the name stuck. So, while the modern marshmallow doesn’t have the healing properties of its plant-derived predecessor, it still has the power to bring maximum joy to your early-winter evenings. Ready to toast your way to golden-brown confectionary nirvana? Then let’s get gooey!
Mar vellous mallows to tr y
The world is your marshmallow playground. Standard vanilla fluffs from the supermarket work just fine, or you can make your own, buy vegan (try anandafoods.co.uk) or deep-dive into a ballpark of exciting flavours from online stores. Th is yours – just make sure that y medium to large marshmallow the too-small-for-toasting min For an evening treat that’s just grown-ups, try these: ✽ Hazelnut Liqueur Marshmallows, £6.95 cloudninemarshmallows.co uk ✽ Elderflower and Gin Gourmet Marshmallows nakedmarshmallow.co.uk ✽ Spiced Tomato and Vodka Gourmet Marshmallows, £7.50 themarshmallowist.com
TWO-PRONGED APPROACH If you’re toasting mallows to add to a hot chocolate, then a two-pronged fork will allow you to toast them a little longer for a richer flavour. Set Of 2 BBQ Forks, £18 gardentrading.co.uk
WHAT HEAT SOURCE IS BEST? First things first: you can roast marshmallows over any type of firepit or firebowl, whether it’s wood-fuelled or gas-powered. You can also use your gas or charcoal barbecue. But opting for heat from wood or charcoal makes the Way of the Marshmallow an easier path. For a start, if you toast over gas, you’ll need to make sure you clean off any sticky marshmallow fluff that drips onto the burners. But, the roasted results from a wood fire is also better. The smoke and flames gradually reduce down to hot, heat-radiating embers, which push out warm air and generate little pockets of heat, so your mallow is held in a mini oven of all-round toastiness.
If you’re using gas, the process is going to involve more flames, which makes perfecting your technique a bit trickier as their intensity can quickly turn a fragile marshmallow into blackened gloop. It’s still possible to toast fabulous marshmallows, but you’ll have to pay a little more attention!
COOKING CONDITIONS A marshmallow is largely made of sugar, and that sweet treat is highly responsive to heat. All you need to kickstart the chemical process that turns a fluffy marshmallow into a lightly caramelised mouthful of happiness is consistent sugar molecules break. The marshmallow starts to crisp on the outside and turn into liquid goo in the middle.
Like so many things, marshmallow-toasting is all about timing. If you’re cooking with wood, light the fire approximately an hour before you want to toast. Sixty minutes in, it will be perfect THE LONG BURNER Try adding a Lekto Night Briquette to your firepit for a longer and slower burn, up to eight hours. It will crumble and glow, rather than roar, and it’s chemical-free too. £22.95/20kg lektowoodfuels.co.uk
for your skewer. Let your marshmallow bask roughly 15cm above the embers.
If you’re using gas-fuelled fire, then make the flames as low as possible. Then hold your marshmallow on its toasting stick in the comfortable warmth above the flames. The warmth. With that, the bonds between the
convection currents caused by the heat will cause hot gases to stream straight up from the fire and they can be hot enough to char your mallows, so, if your first attempt frazzles, hold the next one higher. Think slow, gentle melting, and not a fast burn.
STICK TRICKS When it comes to skewers, wood beats metal hands-down. That’s because, for marshmallowtoasting-purposes, metal is too good at conducting heat, so the skewer will melt the mallow around it, putting it at risk of sliding off to sizzle in the flames below. And, if you try to 1 2
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eat a marshmallow off a metal prong, you’ll burn your mouth. So, wood rules. For best results, soak the skewers in a bucket of water for at least 20 minutes before using, to prevent them charring or catching alight.
Extra-long skewers are best, both to allow you to easily reach the perfect spot above the embers, and to keep you a comfortable distance from the heat. If possible, it should be of the chunky, chopstick size to prevent smouldering.
There are plenty of marshmallow utensils on the market, but it’s also easy (and satisfying) to make your own. Find a long stick in your garden or on a walk and use a potato peeler to whittle one end to a point. It’s best to choose a freshly cut stick, rather than dry, seasoned wood, as it’ll be less likely to burn. Most sticks will do, but it’s important to exercise some caution. Don’t choose one that comes from a tree or shrub that’s too resinous, such as pine, as these will release sticky deposits that you don’t want to eat. And definitely don’t pick a stick with toxins in its bark. Key twigs to avoid include yew, laburnum, buckthorn and oleander. Safe options include apple, pear, oak, birch and alder.
TRY THESE! TOPPINGS AND TWISTS
Bonfire Cloud Sticks Skewer marshmallows onto kebab sticks between strawberries. Toast, then drizzle with homegrown mint sauce. S with a scoop of chocolate ice cream.
Tipsy Mallows Dunk toasted marshmallows into a glass of creamy Baileys or smooth Kahlúa for a boozy taste sensation. Be warned, it’s impossible to stop eating these!
Salted Caramel
Marshettos Squidge a couple of perfectly toasted marshmallows onto an ice-cream wafer and drizzle with salted-caramel sauce. Try Jude’s Salted Caramel Sauce, £2, sainsburys.com.
DIY Wagon Wheel Dip your toasted marshmallow into a bowl of melted dark chocolate, then roll it in a dish of biscuit crumbs. To make the crumbs, put digestive biscuits in a zip seal bag and bash with a rolling pin.
Winter-spice Fluffs
To make an aromatic spiced dip, mix 1 tbsp of honey and 1/4 tsp cinnamon into 250g of half-fat crème fraiche.
Mallow Nibbles Let your toasted marshmallow cool a little, then use the end of a teaspoon to open it up and push a few salted peanuts into the centre.
EXPERT TOASTING The key to perfect marshmallows is to think slow and steady, with regular rotation. Toasting the ultimate mallow can take four or five minutes over low embers, so kick back, relax and think of yourself as a patient confectionary-fisherman. Position yourself a foot away from the fire, keep the mallow 15cm above the embers, and never – ever! – touch a flame. If you’re sitting down, and your fire source means it’s safe to do so, you could position a solid, fire-safe object such as an old housebrick to rest your stick on. This will help you to maintain a consistent height as you turn your marshmallow.
Some people like to keep their skewer rotating ever so slowly. Others prefer to toast one side at a time. Both are equally effective but, if you’re in the one-side-at-a-time camp, keep your eyes on the prize after each turn for the first gentle plume of smoke to wisp off one side of the mallow, which indicates that this area is done and it’s time to twist again. Check your first mallow as you cook it, regularly lifting it from its toasting position to take a peek at the fluffy delight developing on the end of your stick. This will help you to judge how long it’s taking to tan the sides with whatever level of heat the fire is producing. You’ll also be able to see just how close to the edge of perfect golden-brown sides and gooey centre you can push your mallow before it burns or collapses.
All done? Harness all your willpower and wait 60 seconds to let your mallow cool down. This not only lessens the risk of you burning your mouth, but your tastebuds will be able to experience a deeper flavour sensation without the searing, just-cooked heat. But then – enjoy!
