Source: Pillsbury Bake Off Winning Recipe
History of marshmallows
The mallow plant species, known as Althaea officinalis, gave rise to the word “marshmallow”. It is a herb that is native to parts of Europe, North Africa, and Asia and grows in marshes and other damp areas. The plant has fleshy stems and leaves, and its white flower boasts five petals. The invention of marshmallows dates back to as early as 2000 BCE, with the ancient Egyptians being credited as the first to make and use the root of the plant for soothing coughs, treating sore throats, and healing wounds. They achieved this by boiling pieces of root pulp with honey until the mixture thickened. After straining and cooling, it was ready to be utilized.
Initially, the production of marshmallows remained largely limited in scale, whether for medicinal or confectionery purposes. In the early to mid-19th century, marshmallows made their way to France, where confectioners enhanced the plant’s traditional medicinal value with luxurious ingredients inspired by the Egyptians. Candy store owners took the sap from the mallow root and whipped it into a fluffy candy mold. This resulted in Pâte de Guimauve, a soft and spongy dessert made by whipping dried marshmallow roots together with sugar, water, and egg whites. The finished product was then sold in the form of a bar, resembling a lozenge.
Preparing marshmallows
Drying and preparation of the marshmallow took one to two days before the final product was produced. In the late 19th century, candy makers started looking for a new process and discovered the starch mogul system, in which trays of modified corn starch had a mold firmly pushed down in them to create cavities within the starch. The cavities were then filled with the whipped marshmallow sap mixture and allowed to cool or harden. At the same time, candy makers began to replace the mallow root with gelatin which created a stable form of marshmallow.
Marshmallows come to the U.S
The starch mogul system introduced marshmallows to the United States in the early 20th century, making them widely available for mass consumption. Marshmallow manufacturers sold them in penny candy tins, and various food recipes incorporated marshmallows, such as banana fluff, lime mallow sponge, and tutti frutti. In 1956, Alex Doumak patented the extrusion process, which involved running marshmallow ingredients through tubes. These tubes produced a long rope of marshmallow mixture, which cooled before being cut into equal pieces and packaged.
Since the early 1950s, marshmallow manufacturing has heavily automated, thanks to the development of the extrusion process. Manufacturers continuously make improvements and advancements that enable them to produce thousands of pounds of marshmallows daily. Today, manufacturers typically make marshmallows with four ingredients: sugar, water, air, and a whipping agent.
Ingredients
1/2 cup butterscotch pieces
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup Pillsbury’s best all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
One cup of miniature marshmallows
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1/4 cup chopped nuts
Directions
To make these disappearing marshmallow brownies, start by melting butterscotch pieces and butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm. Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and egg to the butterscotch mixture in the saucepan; mix well. Fold the marshmallows, chocolate pieces, and nuts into the butterscotch batter just until combined, about 5 strokes. Spread in prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Do not overbake. The Center will be jiggly but becomes firm upon cooling.
*To use Pillsbury’s Best Self-Rising Flour, omit baking powder and salt.
Also try: Chocolate-Caramel Cake recipe