Why We Love To Roast Marshmallows

Marshmallows are a sweet treat that people love to pair with almost everything. This ranges from biscuits to chocolate and sometimes even on a kebab stick. People love marshmallows so much that they have even created multiple flavours of them, this includes marshmallows covered in sour sugar and even some in the shape of baby chickens. The point is that they are loved across the world, but do you know what’s even better than marshmallows? Roasted marshmallows! Here are a bunch of undeniably valid reasons as to why we love to roast marshmallows.

When Did Roasting Marshmallows Begin?

It was the 1800s when marshmallows were created, this occurred when France candy makers mixed together marshmallow sap, egg whites and sugar which became the making of an extremely popular sweet. Nobody knows the exact date for when marshmallows were first roasted, but it was 1927 when it started to become a popular trend. This happened when The Girl Scout Handbook published a recipe for roasted marshmallows with chocolate bars and crackers, which in 2021 is known as smores. This is a popular dessert that many people enjoy while sitting at a fireplace almost a century later. 

10 Reasons Why We Love To Roast Marshmallows

There are many reasons as to why we love to roast marshmallows but here are some of our favourite ones

1. The perfect campfire treat- Roasted marshmallows are one of the best snacks to have around a campfire. If you go camping and do not bring the items needed to make smores, you are doing camping wrong. 

2. Enjoyable activity - Not only do roasted marshmallows taste good but they are super fun to make with friends. Sitting by a campfire as you toast marshmallows together and tell stories is something that is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.

3. You can toast them as much as you like- It’s super fun to experiment with, some people enjoy their marshmallows super toasted and almost burnt, whereas others like them best when they are held over a fire for a couple of seconds. 

4. Watching them melt - One of the most satisfying moments when making smores is pushing the crackers together onto the marshmallows. 

5. They often taste better- It is a known fact that if you toast marshmallows to a certain extent it leads to a reduction of nutrition as the sugars are turned to carbon. This makes them taste even better as they often caramelise.

6. It’s traditional - People have been doing this for decades and many families do it together, some even have recipes to pair with roasted marshmallows that have been passed down throughout the years. 

7. Gifts have been made out of it - Because marshmallow toasting has become so popular many companies have made fun gifts out of the food.

8. You can roast marshmallows almost anywhere - From a campfire to an ovens hob, you can roast marshmallows from almost anywhere. You could even roast them on a matchstick if you tried hard enough. 

9. They taste good with almost everything - Especially chocolate! You can not go wrong with pairing roasting marshmallows with a chocolate fountain. 

10. You can add them to hot drinks- Many hot drinks are now topped with marshmallows, most commonly is a hot chocolate, especially in December.

The Science Behind A Perfectly Roasted Marshmallow

Yes, a roasted marshmallow is something that anyone can make and no matter what they are going to taste good, but the perfect marshmallow is not made as easy as just sticking a kebab stick with a marshmallow at the end of it into a fireplace. So how exactly do you make a perfect roasted marshmallow?

1. Find the perfect roasting stick - This is something that can be brought online or also found in the wild. You can buy a roasting stick at almost every food store but to find one in the wild you will have to put in a bit more effort. The stick can not be too thick but lengthwise needs to be the length of your arm. But you are not done there, you will also need to create a point at the end of the stick so you can skewer the marshmallow. You can do this step with a pocket knife. 

2. The perfect fire - Although sometimes the height of a fire is out of your control, the larger the fire the quicker your marshmallows will burn. The ideal fire is one that is just the remaining coals, still glowing from the heat. This means that not only the outside of the marshmallow gets toasted, but also the inside.

3. The perfect placement - To make sure your marshmallow cooks perfectly, you will want to place the stick about 6 inches above the coals to create the perfect temperature for your marshmallows to toast. 

4. The perfect rotation - This is an important step to toasting your marshmallows, by slowly rotating the marshmallow for 5 minutes it will be toasted to perfection. You will not regret taking the time to complete this step.

Once you have completed all the steps above you can officially say that you have made a scientifically perfected marshmallow.

Now it’s time to pair it with your campfire must-haves such as chocolate and sweet crackers.

For the perfect marshmallow gift, check out our Mini Marshmallow Toasting Kit here.