Vegan Cherry Marshmallows

Hi baking friends!

Another day another fun recipe I’ve got for you all – vegan cherry marshmallows! This is a recipe I’m particularly proud of because I sort of innovated my own way of making them that results in a really delicious and interesting sweet treat! 

Vegan marshmallows are a tricky project because usually marshmallows rely on the unique qualities of gelatin to provide their texture and structure. Most shop-bought vegan marshmallows replace gelatin with a hefty list of stabilisers and gelling agents such as guar gum or carrageenan. These are very effective and it’s great that we have such a good replica on the market but this end result is fairly tricky to emulate at home.

For my recipe, I’ll be using agar agar powder which is a gelling agent derived from red algae (seaweed). You can find this ingredient in most Asian supermarkets or online. Agar agar is a great replacement for gelatin but it’s important to note that it results in a fairly unique texture. Marshmallows made with agar aren’t particularly stretchy and they do have a bit of a “bite” to them. If you don’t like this texture then it might be best just using shop bought vegan marshmallows!

Anyone familiar with zephyr (zefir) might note some similarities between the traditional method for zephyr and these marshmallows. In fact, this is essentially a vegan zephyr recipe with a unique twist. 

The unique twist is that I use a technique called “aquaflaxa” or sometimes called “flax gel”. Long story short, flax seeds are oftened used as egg replacers because when heated in liquid they produce a “gluey” substance that behaves similarly to egg whites. This is a great feature when making a marshmallow recipe! In the preparation of the cherry purée, I introduce flax seeds to reinforce the purée with proteins that allow it to behave like egg-whites. This combined with the aquafaba makes for a purée that whips up like magic!!

When you make the initial cherry purée as per the instructions you’ll be left with some fruit pulp and flax seeds. These can be discarded but I prefer to use them as a delicious jam that can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few weeks!

This is a fairly simple recipe but it’s essential to follow all the normal rules of meringue-making. In particular, make sure all your utensils are thoroughly cleaned. Even the smallest drop of oil can interfere with meringue and collapse it completely. I like to clean my stand mixer bowl and tools with apple cider vinegar because it’s an acid which kills any bacteria. It also contributes to a more stable meringue.

Important note before the recipe:

The tricky part of this recipe is the sugar syrup which needs to be heated to a very exact temperature therefore it is essential to have a sugar/candy thermometer. It is the same process you’ll see in any vegan Italian meringue recipe. Be careful when you pour the sugar syrup into the mixing bowl that it does not hit the balloon whisk as there’s a danger the hot syrup can splash in your face.

For the frozen cherries I used the sour cherries found in Wholefoods (see below photo):

For this recipe you’ll need:

• sugar thermometer 
• stand mixer (or electric whisk but stand mixer is much easier)
• 6″ x 9″ inch dish (15 x 23cm) or similar

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Vegan Cherry Marshmallows

March 28, 2021

Servings: 24 pcs

Prep: 1 hr

Cook:

Total: 3 hr

Difficulty: Hard

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Deliciously sweet and fresh vegan cherry marshmallows. This visually stunning sweet treat is a guaranteed hit with your friends and family and is the perfect confectionary to keep in your kitchen!

By: Project Vegan Baking

Ingredients

• Cherry puree:
• 200ml aquafaba
• 50g golden flax seeds
• 300g frozen cherries
• 120g caster sugar
• Sugar Syrup:
• 300g caster sugar
• 2.5 tsp agar agar powder
• 100ml water
• Extra:
• 50g icing sugar + 50g cornstarch (for dusting)

Directions

• Step 1 Cherry Purée: Add all the purée ingredients (including the flax seeds) to a pot on the stove and bring them up to a simmer using a low-medium heat. Stir constantly, breaking down the cherries into juice. Use a large spoon or potato masher to crush them up. Allow the purée to simmer for 15 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.
• Step 2 Place a bowl on a set of scales, turn the heat off and pour the cherry purée through a sieve into the bowl. We are aiming for 200g puree. It is essential that only the thickened purée passes through the sieve and not chunks of cherry or flax seeds.
• Step 3 Set aside the crushed cherries and flax seeds and reserve as a delicious cherry jam.
• Step 4 Pour the purée into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) and allow to cool to room temperature (1-2 hours).
• Step 5 While you wait, line a 6×9 inch dish with parchment paper and dust it with some of the icing sugar/cornstarch mix.
• Step 6 Sugar Syrup: Once the purée has chilled, attach a balloon whisk and starting whipping on medium-high speed. It will take approximately 10-15 minutes to reach firm peaks so leave it to run while you work on the sugar syrup.
• Step 7 Mix the agar agar powder into the sugar until fully incorporated then add this mix and the water to a pan on the stove.
• Step 8 Turn the hob to a low-medium heat and stir briefly until the sugar has dissolved. Place a candy thermometer in the pan and leave the sugar to slowly heat up for 5-10 minutes. We are aiming for 120C.
• Step 9 While you wait, check that the purée has whipped up to a light pink meringue with firm peaks (holds its shape and does not fall off the spatula).
• Step 10 When it reaches 120C (248F), take it off the heat and slowly pour it down the side of the bowl with the stand mixer whipping on a medium speed. Be careful not to let it splash.
• Step 11 Once incorporated, turn the stand mixer up to a high speed and let it run for a couple minutes more until the meringue mixture cools down.
• Step 12 Once mixture is glossy and thick, pour into the lined dish. Place the uncovered dish into the fridge for 20 minutes to set.
• Step 13 Take the marshmallows out of the fridge, sprinkle the icing sugar + cornstarch on top and then cover with clingfilm or a lid and place back into the fridge to chill overnight.
• Step 14 The next day, remove the marshmallows from the dish and cut into cubes. After each cut, roll the cubes in the leftover icing sugar and cornstarch.
• Step 15 Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 weeks.