US favourite mallow is looking to curry favour in the UK, thanks to its versatility as a premium topping and filling. Here’s how…

Just as the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man towered over New York in Ghostbusters, mallow itself is becoming big on the toppings and fillings scene in the UK. And, like the ’80s hit film, mallow’s popularity rides on the trends of Americana and nostalgia – two things blossoming on the UK bakery scene.

“Mallow is both comforting and kitsch, with a very nostalgic vibe, engendering good feelings in the buying public. It’s seen as a link to our childhood, with products like Wagon Wheels in the UK and the Moonpie in North America,” believes Zoe Smart, channel product manager for Macphie.

In late 2018, the Scotland-based food ingredients manufacturer introduced a range of sweet mallow finishing and filling products that can be baked, blowtorched, flavoured and coloured.

If it’s more traditional marshmallow that’s needed, bakers can melt mallow in sheet gelatine to create “soft and pillow-like marshmallow” when set. This, in itself, is increasing in popularity, with the rise of companies such as Mallow & Marsh, which is making waves in the confectionery market with its flavoured marshmallows.

“The beauty of mallow is that you just scoop it out the pail and whip it up in minutes,” Smart adds. “Mallow takes colours and flavourings very easily, which makes it a very versatile product and ideal for celebratory occasions.”

This has seen it extend beyond the likes of teacakes into a luxury doughnut filling and as a pipeable topping for baked goods and pastries.

Krispy Kreme, for example, used it for limited-edition S’mores doughnuts, created in partnership with Lotus Biscoff, while Funnybones Foodservice offers a Giant Cookie & Mallow Stack, which features four giant cookies sandwiched together with layers of marshmallow cream and raspberry sauce. It’s even utilised by London-based ice cream parlour Chin Chin as a topping for cones, sundaes or ice cream sandwiches.

Taking this one step further, mallow is also causing a stir on the celebration cake and wedding cake scenes. Asda was ahead of the game when it launched a S’mores Mallow Cake as part of its 2018 summer range, which saw light chocolate sponge and rich frosting smothered in gooey marshmallow, all sprayed with a golden sheen for a toasty looking finish.

CSM Bakery Solutions even tipped marshmallow icing as the next big thing in spring nuptials following the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, whose elderflower and lemon wedding cake highlighted a trend for less traditional, lighter cakes.

“Bakers can incorporate American-style cakes into their ranges by adding innovative icings and toppings – light and fluffy mallow icing inspired by American Marshmallow Fluff confectionery for fantastic birthday cakes and dramatic Instagram-worthy ganache icing drips on multi layered centre-piece drip cakes,” says Jacqui Passmore, marketing manager at Dawn Foods UK and Ireland. For another take on a celebration cake, Passmore advises bakers use a pink angel cake sponge with marshmallow ‘frosting’ on top, drenched in pastel hundreds and thousands.

Alternatively, CSM suggests making mallow paste to cover cakes, which it describes as a less sweet option than sugarpaste and icing, and has a shelf life of three months from the day of production. What’s more, CSM adds, mallow paste is “extremely cost-effective” compared to sugarpaste, coming in at approximately £1 cheaper per kilo at wholesale.

Which could make it easy for bakers to decide who they’re gonna call when shopping for toppings.

Peanut Butter and Mallow Sandwich Cookie

Ingredients

Macphie American Soft Cookie mix, 1kg

Peanut butter, 200g

Butter or margarine, 100g

Water, 140g

Macphie Mallow

Method

1. Place soft cookie mix and butter/margarine in a mixer and blend together on slow speed.

2. Add water gradually over 10 seconds then beat for 1 minute on medium speed.

3. Blend in the peanut butter on slow speed.

4. Deposit 50g cookie pieces onto a baking tray and bake at 360oF (180oC) for 18-20 minutes.

5. Once cool, sandwich cookies with whipped mallow.

Source: Macphie

Lemon Mallow Buttercream

Ingredients

Icing sugar, 955g

Craigmillar Marvello Cake Margarine, 450g

Craigmillar Mellomallo, 560g

Yellow colour (until desired shade is achieved)

Lemon flavour, 5.5g

Method

1. Add icing sugar, Marvello and Mellomallo to a mixing bowl and mix on first speed until homogenised.

2. Scrape down and mix on second speed until light and fluffy.

3. Add colour and flavour, ensuring it is well distributed by scraping the bowl and mixing again.

Note: Flavour and colour can easily be swapped for alternatives.

Source: CSM Bakery Solutions