Marshmallow refers to a type of soft candy available in the market, characterized by its porous and fluffy texture, with a certain level of elasticity and resilience.

It is named for its similarity to cotton in texture and feel. Apart from its notable taste, the manufacturing process of marshmallows involves some fascinating chemical principles. Beyond snack production, these principles are being explored in laboratories for applications such as creating human tissues.

There are generally two significant categories of marshmallow machines on the market. One familiar type is the "spinning" marshmallow machine, capable of spinning marshmallow into a 5-13 centimeters wide colored ribbon, which can be extended 3 to 10 meters away from the bowl, creating a performance akin to art.

However, since the candy floss produced by this type of machine cannot be molded into specific shapes, most marshmallow vendors prefer to create simple marshmallow balls. Prices for these machines range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, with better "spinning" marshmallows producing longer and wider threads that are less likely to break.

The other category is the "artistic shapes" marshmallow machine, which uses sophisticated techniques to create various shapes of marshmallows in vibrant colors. This machine is specialized in crafting marshmallows into forms such as umbrellas, hats, gourds, and more. These machines are generally priced higher, around 3800 yuan, due to the advanced techniques involved. They are less common in the market as they require higher technical expertise.

The process begins by pouring solid sugar blocks into a small heating container. The container has numerous small holes around its opening, positioned on the bottom of a large metal vessel. Once the sugar is melted into a liquid in the heating container, the apparatus starts rotating.

Tiny liquid sugar droplets are ejected through the small holes at the top of the heating container. Under the centrifugal rotation force, these droplets are thrown out through the holes and rapidly solidify into almost invisible sugar threads in the air.

Throughout this melting and spraying process, the surface area of the sugar increases exponentially. In the cold air, it quickly solidifies from liquid to solid. At this point, the entire metal container is filled with numerous fine sugar threads, easily collected and wound into the familiar shape of a marshmallow using a conical paper stick.

While the working principle of the marshmallow machine may seem simple, its invention is the result of years of exploration by confectionery professionals.

Apart from making a mark in the culinary field, this method of creating solid networked products from liquid materials holds promise for applications in the medical field.

Today, marshmallows have become ubiquitous, often enhanced with food coloring to create more visually appealing treats or combined with hot chocolate, coffee, cereals, and other beverages to produce new flavor combinations. So, do you prefer spun marshmallows or soft candy for those who love snacks?