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Sweet sticky rice and soy powders are the secrets to making these fluffy vegan marshmallows.
By
Kumiko Mitarai
Kumiko Mitarai
Kumiko Mitarai wrote the "Technique of the Week" column for Serious Eats. In it, she demonstrated cooking techniques that seem easy but are hardly ever explained.
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Updated March 25, 2024
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Why It Works
- A fine-tuned combination of sweet rice flour, agar agar, xanthan gum powder, guar gum powder, and fat-free soy protein powder recreates the fluffy, bouncy, gooey texture of classic marshmallows.
Vegan marshmallows are tricky to pull off. I'd seen them out there (Sweet and SaraandChicago Soydairy) and figured, how hard could it be?But here's the problem:it's the protein in animal-based gelatins that works so beautifully in combination with the sugar syrup to create those marshmallow-y peaks. If it's mammal protein you'd like to avoid, and you can locate some fish-derived gelatin (possibly at a Kosher market where might also find other Kosher gelatins that are beef-derived), you can substitute that.
But if you want to use a vegetable-based gelatin,like agar agar, you need to introduce another ingredient that is high in protein, like soy. Plus, you'll want other ingredients to help bind and stabilize the ingredients. Experimenting with agar agar, egg replacer, vegetarian gelatin packets, soy flour, soy protein isolate, xanthan gum, and sweet rice flour,I had many disasters and a renewed respect for store-bought vegan marshmallows.Finally, I did wind up with something that works.
When I contemplated how to make vegan marshmallows, my mind wandered toward daif*cku, the Japanese rice-based confection that, not unlike marshmallows, has a springy and sticky quality. So I used the sweet sticky rice powder, mochiko, in this recipe, which results in a bit of a marshmallow/mochi hybrid. Looking for a substitute for the protein in the animal-derived gelatins, I initially used organic soy flour. But it contains some fat, which inhibits stiff peaks from forming when beaten with xanthan gum (a mucous-y substance that is an excellent stabilizer and binder), cream of tartar (which helps to create volume) and water.
After some online sleuthing, I turned to fat-free soy isolate powder, which is available at many health food stores and makes a world of difference.
These marshmallows are tasty eaten plain, added to hot cocoa, or toasted (in the toaster oven if you don't have a campfire nearby) with graham crackers and vegan chocolate.
Classic Marshmallows, and Some Variations
December 2010
Recipe Details
Vegan Marshmallows Recipe
Prep15 mins
Cook10 mins
Active15 mins
Resting Time60 mins
Total85 mins
Serves48 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons mochiko (sweet rice flour), plus more for dusting
1 1/2 cups water, divided in 3 equal parts
2 tablespoons agar agar flakes
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unflavored soy isolate powder
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoonguar gum powder
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of table salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Prepare an 8- by 8-inch square baking pan by sifting mochiko onto the bottom of the pan.
Place 1⁄2 cup of the water and agar agar flakes into a small saucepan. Set aside.
In a saucepan, whisk together sugar and 2 tablespoons mochiko. Add 1/2 cup of water and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and cook for another 5 minutes at a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to prevent lumps from forming.
While sugar and mochiko mixture is cooking and thickening, whisk soy isolate powder, xanthan gum, guar gum, cream of tartar, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Stir in 1⁄2 cup of water. Begin with speed at low until mixture is well-combined and then increase the speed to high, beat until mixture holds stiff peaks and is almost tripled in volume, scraping bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally, about 5 minutes.
When sugar syrup is almost ready, bring agar agar mixture and water to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring to ensure agar agar flakes fully dissolve.
Very gradually, begin to drizzle hot syrup down the sides of stand mixer bowl and continue beating at high speed until shiny meringue-like thick ribbons form, 4-5 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract.
Slowly drizzle in the hot agar agar liquid and continue beating for another minute or so until slightly thicker but still warm. Spread into prepared pan and sift mochiko over surface. Allow to set uncovered until firm and bouncy to the touch, about 1 hour.
Cut into cubes and dust cut surfaces with mochiko, shaking off excess. Store, refrigerated, in a closed container for up to a week.
Special Equipment
8- by 8-inch square baking pan, stand mixer
Read More
- Classic Marshmallows Recipe
- The Science Behind Vegan Meringues
- Vegan Meringue Cookies Recipe
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 37 | Calories |
| 0g | Fat |
| 8g | Carbs |
| 1g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 48 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 37 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 0g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 11mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 8g | 3% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 6g | |
| Protein 1g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 2mg | 0% |
| Iron 0mg | 1% |
| Potassium 5mg | 0% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
