As far as confections go, marshmallows are fairly simple creatures on the surface. Sugar, some gelling agent, and a splash of vanilla are pretty much all it takes to whip up a batch, but somehow the end product is so much more than the sum of its parts. Especially true for the vegan mallow, which up until recently has been billed as nothing short of a rare delicacy, owing to both steep prices and availability. For the longest time, Sweet and Sara has been the only contender in the game, and their squares will continue to be my gourmet, special occasion marshmallow, but now there is finally a company to fill the void for those everyday cravings. Those crafty folks at the Chicago Soydairy are definitely making great strides to release cruelty-free products like the world has never seen before, such as their brand new Dandies marshmallows.
Cylindrical little pillows about an inch in length, Dandies are a much closer approximation to the jet-puffed variety that most Americans are familiar with toasting over an open campfire and stuffing between two graham crackers. Yielding easily to a gentle bite, these babies have a delightfully soft yet firm chew, with a good “bounce” that isn’t the least bit gummy. Surprisingly restrained in sweetness, it’s dangerously easy to keep popping these fluffy morsels into your mouth one after the other, before you can take notice of how quickly the bag is emptying.
It took serious willpower to stop eating these out of hand and actually make anything with them, but as soon as they’re more widely available, you can definitely expect to see more Dandies in many of my baking exploits. Until then, a simple but spectacularly delicious s’mores panini will have to suffice.
And yes, these marshmallows do melt and toast, beautifully, too!