Peanut Butter Marshmallow Puffs

I have to confess something: these marshmallow puffs are based off a fantasy train of thought about what I'd like to eat one afternoon. I felt like crunching into a peanut cookie but I also wanted peanut butter as well as a giant cloud of marshmallow and chocolate. And that was when these incredible peanut butter mallow puffs were born. Dear Reader, if you're a peanut butter fanatic like me, then these are definitely, most definitely a pushy recipe!

For me, everything pretty much ends up with peanut butter. If you follow me on instagram stories you'll probably know full well how much I love peanut butter and that every night ends with me sitting down on the couch with Mochi by my side with a jar of peanut butter. I now go through peanut butter so quickly (and that's even when I have my own personal peanut butter jar) that I have to buy a jar every few weeks.

Some people have asked me what my favourite peanut butter is. I love Pic's and I love Purely Nutz but I also love regular supermarket peanut butter cos I'm not fancy (this is not a sponsored post) . The only kind I'm not hugely fond of is the super healthy peanut butter where it is just ground up nuts without salt and I just don't ever buy peanut butter without salt. And smooth or crunchy? I'd kick neither out of bed but smooth does trump crunchy slightly.

I'm going to give this recipe out with a warning: they're very addictive. The crunch of the peanut cookies and the peanuts plus the soft, fresh marshmallow and roasted peanuts means that it is hard to stop at one. I know this from brutal, first hand experience when two disappeared around me never to be seen again ;)

I met some really interesting guys the other day over lunch. They were two competitive eaters. One was 23 years old and had just begun his competitive eating career. The other one was 27 and had been doing it for 10 years and was close to "retirement". They would eat their way through 16 burgers, 3.2 kilos of steak and meals with 12,000 calories while filming videos of them eating (which are oddly compelling).

To aid in this endeavour, the younger guy would work out between 1 to 3 hours a day. Also young age helped (it sounds rather brutal, in the same vein as modelling has a very young expiry date). They struggled to make this recognised as a sport but despite this, seemed to having a great time doing it.

And I think that if I were to ever try it, I might give myself a head start by eating something I really couldn't already stop eating-like these peanut butter marshmallow puffs!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you find competitive eating fascinating? Is there a food that you think you could conquer? And do you think it should be recognised as a sport?

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Puffs

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 30 minutes plus 20 minutes setting time

Cooking time: 10 minutes

• 12 peanut cookies or digestives
• 3/4 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup glucose or corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon gelatine powder
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts
• 200g/7ozs. dark chocolate
• 30g/1oz. coconut oil

Step 1 - Spread peanut butter on top of the cookies and set aside on a parchment lined tray. Sprinkle the gelatine powder over the 2 tablespoons of water and then microwave for 20 seconds until it becomes liquid and set aside. In a saucepan on medium heat place the sugar, syrup and water and dissolve the sugar. Increase heat to high and cook without stirring until it reaches soft ball stage (118-120C or 235-240F). Add the gelatine liquid and stir well.

Step 2 - In a clean mixer whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Then add the syrup and whip until you get stiff peaks. Place the marshmallow in a piping bag and pipe on top of the cookies. Stick the peanuts in the marshmallow tops. Allow to set at room temperature (it won't take long, maybe 15-20 minutes).

Step 3 - Heat the chocolate and coconut oil over a double boiler. Carefully pick up the cookies and using a small ladle pour over the chocolate and place back on tray. Allow the chocolate to set.