July and My Mallow Battle

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

This months challenge really proved to be a challenge. Vegan marshmallows are something which I have tried many times and have been developing a recipe for some time. However there is always something which isn't quite right; the mallow doesn't set, it all gloopy etc. This time I came extremely close but still my mallow was a bit soft. I think this could also be to do with the fact that I use fruit sugar in my cooking rather than traditional cane sugar so the properties of the foods are altered even further. But I gave it a good bash and hey it tasted delicious.

The mallow recipe:

5 tsps agar flakes
1/2 cup warm water (not quite boiling)
2 tsps arrowroot
3/4 cups fruit sugar
1tsp vanilla (or other flavouring)
5 tbsps soy protein isolate powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsps cream of tartar
1 cup water
3tsps ener-g with 4 tbsps of ice cold water, whisked together

1. Soak the agar in the warm water for around 30 mins. Dust a pan with some corn flour or other similar light flour.
2. Simmer in a saucepan until dissolved.
3. Add in fruit sugar and arrowroot stir until dissolved, continue simmering. Mixture will thicken so keep an eye on it. Add in vanilla.
4. Meanwhile, with an electric beater whisk up the soy powder with the water, this should resemble a butter cream consistency so add more water if necessary but don't be too liberal.
5. Continue mixing and add in the cream of tartar and bicarb until stiff and fluffy. Then add in the ener-g mix.
6. If agar mix is now thick and gloopy, gradually poor into your fluffy mix while beating. Contine for another 10-15 mins. You want the mix to be as stiff as you can without the agar gelling together.
7. Pour mix into your pan, spread and dust with more flour. Leave to cool.

I made two different flavours:

Gooseberry and Blackcurrant, with vegan dark chocolate and mixed nuts

Spiced apricot and Redcurrant, with vegan milk chocolate and cinnamon.