Marsheeemallows

Marshmallows were made from the root sap of the marsh mallow "Althaea officinalis" plant. It is a genus of herb that is native to parts of Europe, north Africa, and Asia. Marsh mallows grow in marshes and other damp areas. The plant has a fleshy stem, leaves, and pale, five-petaled flowers. The first marshmallows were made by boiling pieces of the marsh mallow root pulp with sugar until it thickened. After it had thickened, the mixture was strained and cooled. As far back as 2000 B.C., Egyptians combined the marsh mallow root with honey. The candy was reserved for gods and royalty. Marsh mallow roots and leaves can work as a laxative. It was also used by early Arab doctors as a poultice to retard. Whether used as a candy or for medicinal purposes, the manufacturing process of marsh mallows was limited to a small, almost individual, scale. Access to inflammations. Marsh mallow roots were also used in treating chest pains, to soothe coughs and sore throats, and as an ointmentmarsh mallow confections was limited to the wealthy until the mid-nineteenth century. Common people only tasted marsh mallows when they took pills; doctors sometimes hid the medicine inside the candy to cover the pill's undesirable taste.

Marsh mallows candies consists of sugar or corn syrup, water, gelatin that has been softened in hot water, dextrose, and flavorings, whipped to a spongy consistency. Since Doumak's patented extrusion process of 1948, marshmallows are extruded as soft cylinders, cut in sections and rolled in a mix of finely powdered cornstarch and confectioner's sugar "icing sugar". Not all brands coat their marshmallows in confectioner's sugar. Now, it used in some candies, ice cream flavors such as Rocky Road, on top of hot chocolate and candied yams, and in several other foodstuffs.