Marshmallow Bears
The marshmallow of childhood, made plant-based and coated in chocolate. A confection that asks for patience and gives a great deal of pleasure.
Ah, the famous marshmallow bears. Who has not at some point given in to this little treat from childhood, with its thin chocolate shell cracking delicately under the tooth to reveal a tender, soft, melting marshmallow?
I very much wanted to recover those sensations, but with a considerable challenge: making marshmallow bears that are entirely plant-based, with no egg white and no gluten, while keeping as much as possible of the textures and flavors of the ones we have always known.
And I can tell you the result is well worth the effort.
But before we begin, let me warn you: this recipe is technical and asks for time, precision and above all patience. If you like desserts made in a few minutes, this is probably not the first one to turn to.
On the other hand, if you enjoy a pastry challenge, discovering new techniques and that immense satisfaction of having made something yourself that you may have thought impossible to reproduce without animal ingredients, then you are going to love this.
The secret of a good plant-based marshmallow
To make this marshmallow I turn once again to two products I am particularly fond of: Sosa’s Potato Whip (Valrhona Sélection) and Yumgo Blanc.
These egg white alternatives, made notably from potato protein, allow for genuinely astonishing results in plant-based pastry.
Personally I find them particularly interesting, as much for how they perform as for how practical they are.
I know aquafaba, the cooking liquid from chickpeas, is widely used in plant-based baking. For my part, I find it awkward. You have to open a can, recover the liquid or prepare your own. And since chickpeas do not agree with me, I prefer to look elsewhere.
With these powders it is another story. They keep in a cupboard, they are easy to measure and you can use them the moment you need them. Yumgo Blanc in particular comes in small packets at a relatively accessible price.
And when you discover everything these alternatives make possible, you understand how much ground they open up in plant-based pastry.
Something sweet to share with the family
These bears are for me the perfect example of a pastry that is technical, indulgent and deeply nostalgic all at once.
Recovering that chocolate shell paired with such a soft marshmallow, without using egg white, is a real satisfaction.
So here is my advice: since you are going to spend time on them, do make a good quantity.
Imagine the pleasure of having these little bears to share over the weekend, with children or grandchildren. And above all, what a joy to be able to offer this to people who cannot eat egg white, or who have simply chosen not to.
That too is what I love about plant-based pastry: recovering the pleasures of childhood without giving up indulgence, while exploring new possibilities.
Ingredients
Shells
- 130 g dark baking chocolate
- about 80 g more for sealing
Marshmallow
- 1.40 g xanthan gum
- 40 ml water
- 2 g Sosa Valrhona POTATOWHIP OR 4 g Yumgo Blanc
- 30 g homemade powdered sugar
Syrup
- 2.7 g agar-agar
- 15 ml agave syrup
- 30 ml water
- 2 g vanilla extract, or another flavoring
Method
- 1
Melt the 130 g of chocolate and form even shells in the molds. Refrigerate.
- 2
Mix the powdered sugar and the xanthan gum. Blend the water with the POTATOWHIP using an immersion blender, then whip in a stand mixer for more than 5 minutes. Add the dry mixture and whip for about 5 minutes more.
- 3
Heat the syrup ingredients to 110 °C (230 °F), about 5 minutes according to the original post.
- 4
Take off the heat, wait a few seconds for the bubbles to subside, then pour into the whipped base, whisking immediately and vigorously by hand. Return to the stand mixer until the bowl no longer feels warm.
- 5
Fill the shells straight away, smooth with slightly wet fingers and refrigerate for a few hours. Seal with the 80 g of melted chocolate and return to the refrigerator to set.
If you have read this far and your little bears are finally ready to eat, let me first congratulate you.
You took the time to make a demanding recipe, perhaps discovered some new techniques, and above all took on a piece of baking that steps outside the ordinary.
I sincerely hope the result lives up to your expectations and that, from the first bite, you find that very particular sensation of the marshmallow bears of your childhood.
That little crack of chocolate, followed by the almost airy softness of the marshmallow… a real step back in time, full of indulgence and memory.
And if this fully plant-based version lets you recover a pleasure you thought you had lost, then I will have fully won my bet.
I would love to see what you make and hear what you thought.
Do come and tell me how it went on social media, share your photos and let me know whether these little bears took you back to your childhood too.
Because deep down, that is pastry as well: emotions, memories and above all the happiness of sharing.
See you very soon for more delicious adventures.
Emmanuelle Grillet-Aubert
Original post: see it on Instagram
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