It’s that time of year again when blood sugar levels around the world collectively spike in the name of ‘good tidings and joy’. One of the biggest contributors to this condition is the marshmallow. Everyone feels the need to have a bag of these little edible clouds of happiness on hand to top off hot chocolates and seasonal lattes. However, the average hot drink requires about four marshmallows while most stores only seem to sell them in bags of 400 – so here are 10 ways to make use of them:
1) Festive fondue The holidays are the time of year for all of us to aspire to be far more sophisticated than we actually are. Nothing screams ‘class’ more than a nice fondue. Melt down some chocolate over the stove, pop your marshmallows on some toothpicks, and you’ve got yourself yet another way to fool people into thinking you are an adult.
2) Cereal snacks Sure, marshmallow cereal treats are intended for young kids who want to cook but aren’t allowed to use the stove yet. However, based on the number of late night fire alarms I’ve experienced due to burned toast, it’s safe to say that just because you’ve made it to Uni doesn’t necessarily mean you are equipped to be hanging around the stove either. Melt down some marshmallows and mix them up with your bland cereal of choice – ie. corn flakes, puffed wheat, or Rice Krispies – and then leave your treats to set.
3) Dessert dip Whether a holiday party is good or not may or may not be determined by the quality of the dip that is served. Set yourself apart by putting out a melted marshmallow dip. Microwave your marshmallows and mix with cinnamon or chocolate powder. Serve with cut up fruit and graham crackers. This will save you from having to attempt bake some sort of Christmas confectionery.
4) Frosting If you do decide to brave the world of baking in honour of the holidays, at least save yourself from the tragedy of a failed frosting by using marshmallows instead. Just melt them down partially in the microwave, and you should have something that can definitely pass as frosting.
5) Crepes If you felt like your baking was a success, then you probably feel pretty confident about your crepe making skills. Put some marshmallows and peanut butter in your crepe and let them melt down in the pan. This is a dish made for the sole purpose of bragging about over social media.
6) Sweet jacket potato Who says seasonal foods have to be limited to desserts? Next time you’re feeling patient enough to wait for a sweet potato to bake, stuff it with a few marshmallows. Top off with cinnamon for a dinner dish that is so festive it induces side effects of extreme Christmas cheer.
7) Glue: Melted marshmallows make for a great edible glue, a neat fix if you’re building a gingerbread house. There’s really no other reason to need edible glue, so please don’t experiment further.
8) Decorations If you’re in the mood to decorate but would rather spend your money on peppermint schnapps, make your own tree trimmings using popcorn and marshmallows. String them together for a festive garland that conveniently doubles as a late night snack.
9) Indoor s’mores Instead of gathering around the campfire with your friends, gather around the more convenient stovetop. Put your marshmallows on a skewer or a leftover chopstick from your last Chinese takeaway, and toast them over the hob. Enjoy as is or place your marshmallows on a chocolate digestive for the full mock s’more experience.
10) With vodka! Leave your marshmallows to soak in some vodka for a few hours. As a 2 for 1 special, this leaves you with shots of marshmallow infused vodka and vodka infused marshmallows to chase them with. That’s what I call holiday spirits!f marshmallow infused vodka and vodka infused marshmallows to chase them with. Everyone loves some holiday spirits to keep your spirits lifted during the holidays.