Marshmallows Go Vegan

Sep 15, 2021 by Chef David

By Chef David

Marshmallows are forever a temptation. During the summer there are displays for S’mores, and in the winter there are advertisements for hot chocolate. It saddens me that the marshmallows are rarely kosher.  The kosher consumer has a disappointingly slim selection of marshmallows, while limited choices are commonplace, and should not have been a surprise, this sweet treat seemed to haunt me until I discovered Dandies marshmallows (CRC supervision) produced by Vegan Foods. This 100% vegan plant-based option stands out, it looks like a marshmallow, tastes like a marshmallow but read the ingredients label, it is vegan. 

What’s The Fluff About Marshmallows?

Marshmallows are a simple food. They contain three ingredients sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin, plus some air. Gelatin is the scaffolding that transforms the sugar, creating the stretchy gooey texture, with a light-fluffy melts-in-your mouth feel. It’s gelatin, that creates the problem for the kosher consumer. Traditionally, gelatin was made of animal collagen, the connective material in animal tissues. 

Fortunately, the push toward plant-based vegan-friendly products introduced new possibilities. 

Marshmallows Go Vegan 

Vegan marshmallows, like Dandies, use soy protein and carrageenan, from seaweed (called agar-agar) as a gelatin substitute. Vegan marshmallows have a bouncy texture and taste comparable to gelatin-based marshmallows. Some experts suggest that vegan marshmallows are softer than their gelatin-based cousins while retaining similar properties when melting for s’mores or Rice-Krispy treats. 

Since vegan marshmallows have different properties than their non-kosher cousins, you need may need to adjust recipes accordingly. Vegan marshmallows melt and brown over the fire, making them campfire friendly, but they may not become as “oozing” as the regular kind, but it really does not matter, their taste and texture are comparable. 

I suggest experimenting before just adding melted marshmallows to your recipe.  When I roasted marshmallows over a fire, I achieved the correct brown surface but noted that the center did not melt. I found that 12 seconds in the microwave produced a soft gooiness I had anticipated perfect for smores.

The Dandies Difference

Dandies marshmallows use clean ingredients, they do not use corn syrup, artificial color, or gluten. Their marshmallows contain tapioca syrup/starch, cane sugar, filtered water, carrageenan, soy protein, natural vanilla flavor.

Dandies’ selection includes a range of sizes, from minis, ideal to float in hot chocolate, to jumbo, which are campfire friendly.

Classics

Parve Rice Krispies – Rice Krispies Treats were invented in 1939 by two women at Kellogg as a fundraiser for Camp Fire Girls. 

Method:

• • Combine 1 bag of melted marshmallows or fluff with ½ cup of cereal. 
  • To prevent your mixture from sticking use parchment paper or a lightly greased pan.
  • Mix, flatten into a pan, cut, and serve.  

Note: Some recipes recommend adding butter and salt. I do not feel this is necessary.  

 

Add some excitement by shaping treats, for example for Simcha Torah you can shape them into Torahs, and for Chanukah, they can become dreidels.

Have fun, this sticky mixture is mailable, so let your creativity go wild. Consider adding pretzels and chocolate to the mix. With no effort, you have created a more sophisticated snack, with a complex texture while lessening the sweetness.  Because snacks are not just for our children.

 

 

S’mores to Go

Make a graham cracker sandwich with melted marshmallows and a piece of chocolate.  This family-friendly food is great for camping.

We experimented with a variety of crackers or cookies – for the non-chocolate crowd, try a sandwich of toasted marshmallow and vanilla cookies.

A side dish with marshmallows? 

Add marshmallows and cinnamon as a topping for sweet potatoes, this will delight children of all ages.  It is a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving.

No doubt that including marshmallows will give your food extra sweetness, which makes it an appropriate addition to your menu, especially during the holidays when our menus are designed for a sweet new year.

Dandies site locates stores in your neighborhood or lets you order online.