Friday, December 9, 2011
Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows + Vanilla, Cinnamon Bun, Strawberry, Chocolate Royale, GingerbreadThe best known American marshmallows are Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows which are big, airy cylinders of fluffed sugar and gelatin. Lately there’s been a movement in the United States for more artisan marshmallows, flavored and in different shapes and often with less chalky corn starch on the outside. In other countries marshmallows are usually flavored (France and Japan have wonderful marshmallow offerings that are rather grown up, while the United Kingdom and Netherlands still have a large selection geared towards kids). Kraft’s Jet-Puffed brand has a large selection lately that go beyond the unflavored white version. I picked up all that I could find over the past month for comparison and review. I’m often conflicted about whether Marshmallows are candy. Part of the confusion might be the fact that the most popular marshmallow brands in the United States are not sold in the candy and snack aisle but in the baking section. They’re used to make Rice Krispie Treats and S’mores, but I rarely see people just eating them. The marshmallows are simple and cheap. I picked up most of the bags in this review for only a dollar - this bag was 10 ounces and nearly the size of an airplane pillow ... a lot of candy for a buck. Jet-Puffed are large, they’re about an inch and a third tall and about an inch in diameter. Each is about 7.5 grams (about a quarter of an ounce). Marshmallows are pretty low in calories, as there’s no fat in them - they’re just sugar with a little protein (gelatin) to keep them fluffy. Only 100 calories per serving of 4 (one ounce). They’re chalky on the outside, coated with a light powdering of corn starch to keep them from sticking. They’re puffed, pliable but still firm. They’re a little latexy, like memory foam - squish it and it bounces back eventually. The flavor isn’t quite vanilla and not a strong as pure sugar. They’re, well, marshmallows. Not much to write home about and not a candy I’d eat on its own. They toast up very well, with more of the burnt sugar flavors. The large size means that the center of mine usually cool while the outside is crunchy and the mantle is molten. They’re very soft and moist when fresh, but I don’t mind a slightly stale marshmallow either. They get a little stiff and chewy on the outside, providing a little more textural interest. What started this whole marshmallow episode was this bag of Jet-Puffed SnowmanMallows I spotted at Target. They’re French Vanilla flavored, which sounded good, like a custardy version of the traditional American marshmallow. They’re called mini-marshmallows on the bag, but they’re actually about the size of two of the standard mini-marshmallows. Is there a difference between the standard and the French Vanilla? Well, not really. There’s some yellow food coloring and a smidge less salt. So they did taste sweeter. I prefer the format of the little one inch tall and half inch wide Man. He toasted up well, the smaller size meant that the center became molten as the outside crisped. Of course it was ridiculously easy to catch him on fire. The Kraft Jet-Puffed StrawberryMallows were the only ones that I bought at the 99 Cent Only Store, which may mean that they were for an earlier season. (They expire at the end of the year.) They’re pink and remind me of the French guimauve, which often come in long ropes. The color is soft and pleasant. The scent is like Frankenberry Cereal. The flavor is a mild, floral and artificial strawberry. It was like a very watered down Strawberry Quik. I toasted it hoping it would taste like cotton candy, but it just tasted like hot Strawberry Quik. Like many of the candies that I eat with Red #40 food coloring, I taste a weird, metallic bitterness towards the end and for a few minutes after. The Kraft Jet-Puffed Gingerbread Mallows made all of this worth it. They were the variety that inspired me to buy them all and review them. This was the first variety that struck me as seasonal, obviously, but also the first one that I felt like achieved its goals of being an actual good candy. I recognize that not everyone likes gingerbread, so a gingerbread flavored marshmallow will not be as popular as strawberry or vanilla. They’re shaped like little men. The get squeeze and deformed in the bag, so their little arms point in different directions. They’re about an inch and a quarter tall and about a half an inch thick and an inch from fingertip to fingertip. They smell rich and spicy. And they taste that way too. If you’re fond of the gingerbread spices: ginger, cinnamon, clove and pepper, you will probably dig these. The overriding flavor is actually ginger but there’s a little cinnamon and pepper warmth to them. It doesn’t taste artificial at all - just like a spicy marshmallow. It’s absolutely like eating a foamy cookie. I tried toasting them and liked the result, but prefer the soft and foamy texture of them at room temperature. I figured if Gingerbread was good, Kraft Jet-Puffed Cinnamon Bun would rate highly as well. After all, it wasn’t just a pink marshmallow with a little cinnamon oil like the StrawberryMallow. This bag was slightly smaller, for some reason, with only 8 ounces in it. The mallows were also smaller, which was fine with me as I like to pop a whole one in my mouth. (The back of the package actually has a warning that says to eat only one at a time and supervise children plus cut them up for smaller children.) They’re cute as foamy sugar buttons. They smell good, not that different from the Gingerbread, but definitely on the sugar and cinnamon side of things. The flavor is like cinnamon the spice, not the hard candy. The corn starch coating kind of pushes that along with the slight chalky texture before it dissolves away. It doesn’t taste overtly artificial, but it’s also not as fun and nuanced as the Gingerbread. I expect they’d go great in hot chocolate. Toasted they were quite nice, but tasted much more sweet when hot. The Kraft Jet-Puffed Chocolate Royale was a problematic flavor. First, it’s a chocolate flavored marshmallow. There is no actual cocoa, let alone chocolate in there. The scent is ghastly. It was like wet cardboard. It was so bad that after I took a picture of the package and opened them, I had to sequester them. The problem is that I don’t remember where I put them (I admit the Candy Blog Studios are pretty messy right now) but I can still smell them even though I stuffed them inside another bag first. Overall, I’m inclined towards the generic American marshmallow and enjoyed the different flavors. I prefer the corn starch coating to the sugar sanding of Peeps. They’re a great candy to share and versatile to keep on hand as an ingredient. If you’re watching your calories, they’re very low stress - I can’t eat that many because their airy texture makes me feel full very quickly. But they’re also all sugar and the texture can be bland (but that’s why folks invented Rice Krispie Treats, Rocky Road and S’mores). Related Candies
POSTED BY Cybele AT 11:06 am Candy • Review • Christmas • Kraft/Mondelez • Cinnamon • Ginger • Marshmallow • 1-Inedible • 7-Worth It • United States • 99 Cent Only Store • Target • |
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Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.
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We had some pumpkin-shaped pumpkin spice ones in Kentucky around Thanksgiving. I bought some and they were OK, but ended up tossing half the bag because they got sticky really fast. One big ball of pumpkin spice marshmallow was not appetizing!
Though I haven’t tried them yet, I found some Jet Puffed Mini Peppermint marshmallows last weekend at Walmart. Figured they were worth a shot as my wife loves Peppermint. Thinking about using them as a topping for ice cream or frozen yogurt, too.
Recently got into marshmallows for two reasons. First is that I have a 2 year old who is a very picky eater. Secondly, I saw the mini-fruit flavored Kraft ones at Ralphs and they reminded me of my youth. They still taste exactly the same, too. I like the Lime, which isn’t really limey at all.
I bought some of the Strawberry ones you mentioned at Ralphs recently, so I don’t think they are too long past their prime.
JJ – The Dude of the House
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The gingerbread ones make pretty tasty Krispie treats
Oh man I wish they had gingerbread ones in my grocery store! Those look awesome. We do have these big pepermint swirl ones. They are flattened oval shapes with pink and white swirl. It’s about the size of a Reese’s cup and a perfect snacking mallow. (I’m one of those people who will just eat marshmallows.)
You can still find some of the Pumpkin Spice marshmallows here in Kentucky, if you’re lucky. I saw both the Snowman and Gingerbread marshmallows last year, and they stayed around until sometime in March, I believe. (And they’re back this year.)
The StrawberryMallows have been a year-round item here, but Kraft did make a heart-shaped version for Valentine’s Day last year.
I haven’t seen the Cinnamon Bun ones yet, so I will keep an eye out for them.
JJ, your name will become a hyperlink back to your site, no need for the additional signature.
We also have lemon and banana, the twisted flavors, and the ones with the stuffed centers. They look tempting but I rarely use marshmallows.
I’m fascinated! I need to try these sometime, no matter how they taste. I’ve never had a flavored marshmallow before, besides the miniature fruit-flavored ones (which don’t really taste like fruit at all).
Thank you, @fae - that was the question I was about to post
Just wanted to say how much I love your reviews! Your site is the Only website i check everyday to see if there’s a new post! Like a little kid on xmas morning! I LOVE marshmallows, and have been wanting to try some of these so thanks for weeding out the weak ones! Happy Holidays!!!
Those Gingerbread marshmallows sound delicious! I’ve gotta find these!
I found both the pumpkin flavor and gingerbread flavor at Walmart. I’ve made Rice Krispie treats with both, and they were a HUGE hit. The pumpkin ones are already gone, but they had plenty of the gingerbread flavor.
Tried the StrawberryMallows a few years back but didn’t try the gingerbread
I would like to know where I can find the gingerbread marshmallows?
I bought two bags of Pumpkin Spice at Walmart because I love pumpkin anything. I ate the first bag before Christmas. I opened the second bag today (expiration date of March 2012) and the marshmallows were in two clumps so I tossed them. They were in a cool dry place and I never had this problem with unopened marshmallows before.
Fae-didn’t even occur to me to make flavored Rice Krispie treats. Thanks to you I will have pumpkin rice krispie treats next year if Kraft lets me!
I HAD to comment on this post about a flavored marshmallow from Kraft I found in a Shoprite in Hewitt, NJ. It was called ‘German Chocolate Cake’ flavored marshmallows. Pure heaven. A combination of chocolate flavor and shredded coconut. OMG! I went back and they didn’t have them anymore! I have to get more!
Last year I bought the gingerbread marshmallows and after almost a year they are still soft and tasty even though all I did is twist tie the top! I’ve NEVER had marshmallows last so long—kinda makes me wonder what preservatives were used!
Originally from Houston I bought a bag of gingerbread earlier in the year during a trip home. I stored them unopened in my cellar which is a cool & dry place. I’ve just pulled them out & they’ve gone soggy.
Is there any use for them or are they only good for the rubbish pile?
I’m holding on to the bag just in case someone gets back to me with a use for them. Kind regards!
I made the Rice Krispies bars using the pumpkin spice marshmallows. Even the parrot did not like them. The regular ones are usually all gone in a hurry.
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