Food ingredients manufacturer Macphie has introduced mallow into its range of sweet filling and finishing products.

The mallow has been launched in response to the growing market for premium doughnuts and cupcakes, according to Macphie, which also noted a rise in specialist marshmallow shops and ’boozy’ versions appealing to a more adult market.

Macphie suggests using the mallow to tap the nostalgic trend for desserts such as banoffee pie, lemon meringues, chocolate-covered teacakes and baked Alaska.

It is available in a 10kg pail and can be frozen and thawed. The product free from palm oil, fat and gelatin – making it suitable for vegetarians.

It can be baked and blowtorched as well as flavoured and coloured, which Macphie said would help it to enhance novelty bakes, particularly as the festive season approaches.

Last month, Macphie announced that managing director Andy Underwood was leaving.