Much like the child who is driven to pull apart the brand new flat screen tv in order to perform a technological lobotomy, I couldn’t leave those curious candy pillows alone until I found out what made them tick. Or why they existed in the first place, since they clearly weren’t meant for consumption. Early videos saved somewhere deep in the nether regions of digital storage have recorded evidence of just this; Frame after frame of my eager hands setting innocent-looking Peeps on fire, investigating the effects of microwaving, and my favorite, enlisting the help of my dad to run over them with his car. The mental image of that Peep pancake clinging with ferocious stickiness to the wheel of that tire will likely stay with me forever. For years on ward, I couldn’t pass by a display of those multicolored oddities without quietly poking them, still springy and squishy despite the plastic barrier.

Luckily, this bizarre obsession has come to pass, now that the Chicago Soy Dairy, masterminds behind the only jet-puffed vegan marshmallows, Dandies, has released their own, actually edible version. Dubbed “Tweets,” their soft pastel hues are in sharp contrast to their predictors, and no longer appear to be the result of terrible nuclear fallout. Better yet, these subtle colors hint at actual flavors, and logical ones at that; Yellow chicks are lemon, orange bunnies, orange.

I only had the pleasure of sampling the pale but cheerful yellow mallow chicks, and while the flavor was very subdued, with just the barest hint of citrus essence, I could appreciate that it added more complexity to the confection overall. Far better than simply sugar-flavored treats, these gave me a reason to want to take a second bite. Where they really shine, however, is in the texture department. Crunchy on the outside thanks to the liberal application of granulated sugar, and fantastically soft but chewy on the inside, they are both fluffy and substantial all at once. All elements combined, that ends up in a rather terrifically addictive treat. Though they do lack the classic confectionery eyes, perhaps that’s a good thing- I have a feeling that a number of vegans might feel uneasy about chomping down on their Easter treats while the adorable marshmallows are staring right back.

i bet you’ve never had a vegan deep dish chicago-style pizza. this one was awesome, made with cheezly and teese from chicago soy dairy. next time i will throw some daiya in as well.

S'mores Close-Up

Not too long ago I won a bag of Dandies Vegan Marshmallows from Chicago Soy Dairy  on Twitter (thanks Dan!). I wanted to make an old school fruit salad with them but alas, when they arrived they had melted together and I had one big blob of Dandies. So I stuck them in the fridge and have been contemplating what to do with them. Then it hit me – S’more cupcakes! I made a cinnamon spice cupcake, filled with marshallow, topped with chocolate and a roasted Dandy – divine!

S'mores Cupcakes

The filling is one 10 oz. bag of Dandies and 3 tbs. of Earth Balance melted together to form a gooey mess and very carefully sticking this in a pastry bag! When the cupcakes have cooled, poke a hole with your index finger and fill the hole with the Dandies goodness!

S'more Halfed

The recipe for the cupcakes I used is a hodge podge from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.

3/4 cup soymilk

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbs. molasses

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tbs. cornstarch

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix milk and vinegar and let sit for a few minutes. Sift dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl wisk all wet ingredients and mix with the dry until well incorporated. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

I hope the pictures do them justice because they taste fantastic!

Til next time…