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I really struggled to know what to call these Gluten Free Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Puddings. It seems that these are quite unique, once again my little brain has gone a bit crazy with mixing up ingredients that otherwise would not have been put together!
I promise you though, these are super simple and incredibly tasty. Plus they are safe for gluten free, dairy free and vegan diets (assuming you buy the right marshmallows).
Jingle all the way to the good bit
- Why are these square and not pudding shaped?
- Are Rice Krispies gluten free?
- Can you make these Crispy Christmas Puddings dairy free?
- Can you make these Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Puddings vegan?
- How do you make chocolate marshmallow?
- What do you decorate these chocolate marshmallow squares with?
- Can you make these nut free too (no marzipan)?
- Will these Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Puddings keep?
- Other fun Christmas treat ideas you can make this year
- Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Puddings Recipe
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Why are these square and not pudding shaped?
If you want to make these in the shape of a Chocolate Marshmallow Christmas Pudding, then be-my-guest. I had originally planned to do just that, make these into bauble-sized puddings and top them in the same way with a cap of marzipan.
But when I made the chocolate marshmallow mixture I felt that it was too temperamental to mould into balls and I’d have to chill the mixture first.
I reminded myself what this website is all about ‘life is a drama, gluten free doesn’t have to be….’ so I though ‘blow it’ and shoved the mixture into a square tin.
I have to admit, I’m pretty darn chuffed at the resulting crispy treat and think that they still look pretty awesome with no fuss to make them at all.
What do you think? Did you have a go and make them into balls after chilling the mixture? Let me know in the comments below what you think and if you did.
Are Rice Krispies gluten free?
I’m glad you asked. No Kellogg’s Rice Krispies are not gluten free because they contain BARLEY malt extract and whilst some extracts are okay this is not one of them. The name ‘Krispies’ is how this marshmallow treat gets its name but I wince a little when I see gluten free Marshmallow Crispy Treats with a ‘K’ because it can imply that Kellogg’s are okay – just me???
So this begs the question what Rice Crispy cereal is okay for these treats? Here are a few you may be able to get local to you. Always read the packaging and check for may contains.
Notice something? That’s right not one of them is called ‘Krispies’, that’s because that word is trademarked. NOW can you see why I shudder a little each time I see ‘Krispies on a gluten free recipe!
Can you make these Crispy Christmas Puddings dairy free?
You can absolutely make these Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Puddings dairy free as well simply by swapping the butter for a plant based alternative. I ALWAYS use Flora Plant Butter in my baking, it’s not the cheapest but it’s a solid dairy free block and having a solid black of fat is so important to the structure of free from baking.
Can you make these Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Puddings vegan?
Okay…how vegan do you want it to be?
You might find some recipe developers say they you can switch the marshmallows out for vegan ones i.e. marshmallows that do not use gelatine in the ingredients. However, there’s one more stumbling block to this recipe.
Many cereals are fortified and few realise that Vitamin D3 is derived from animals so you need to find a gluten free rice cereal that in not fortified. For example, the Marks & Spencer cereal pictured above is not fortified and is labelled suitable for vegans.
Hands up if you just learnt something new!
How do you make chocolate marshmallow?
This is the bit that my brain came up with at silly o’clock one night. I asked myself, ‘I wonder if I can just add cocoa powder to melted marshmallows?’
Turns out you can!
The key is to make a cocoa powder paste to add to your melted marshmallows and butter. To make the cocoa powder paste, simply weigh out 30g of cocoa powder and add 3-4 tablespoons of boiled water. Mix well with a spoon or ideally a little whisk to make a paste and pour into the melted marshmallows.
Oddly, adding this cocoa powder paste loosens the marshmallow mixture (makes it more liquid) so for this recipe you need to add more rice crispies than you would for my Easy Gluten Free Halloween Rice Crispy Treats or my Gluten Free Candy Cane Rice Crispy Treats.
Gluten Free Christmas Gift Guide
Updated every year to give you the latest gluten free gifts perfect for a loved one or to gift yourself. The guide includes; Advent Calendars, gifts for Christmas Day, Hampers for a gluten free Christmas and much more.
What do you decorate these chocolate marshmallow squares with?
I’ve been having quite a time searching for safe sugar craft decorations of late. I think I’ve found a safe producer who I hope will continue to be safe for our community. You can see the ones I bought here they do not have any may contains but they do have EGG whites in them so not suitable for allergies or vegans.
That said, you can always make your own holly and berries decorations simply by rolling tiny balls of red fondant icing and cutting out holly shapes in green fondant icing. I do also have two types of holly leaf cutters which make life a lot easier.
I also used one of my favourite Christmas Cookie Cutters to cut out the ‘custard/brandy sauce’ shape to top each Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Pudding.
Can you make these nut free too (no marzipan)?
You have a few options if you want to make these nut free too (no marzipan custard effect).
- use a fondant icing, you could try to source a cream coloured fondant, or opt for white
- use nut free marzipan, I made some nut free marzipan for my Mini Christmas Cakes.
- make up a thick water icing with milk/dairy free milk and add to the tops.
Will these Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Puddings keep?
How to store these Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Puddings depends very much on your texture preferences.
I love my marshmallow crispies to be wonderfully chewy so I prefer to keep mine in the fridge. Doing so, they will keep for easily seven days if stored in Tupperware.
If you prefer these treats to be softer with less chew then keep them at room temperature in a Tupperware container or better still a metal cake tin. I recommend the latter because, if kept a room temperature, you run the risk of the marzipan sweating. I can’t imagine anyone likes sweaty marzipan … do they?
Other fun Christmas treat ideas you can make this year
Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Puddings Recipe
If you make it and like the recipe I would be eternally grateful if you popped back and commented leaving a star rating as this will tell search engines that this recipe is worth checking out and others will get to find it in searches.
Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Puddings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 300 g marshmallows vegan if necessary
- 200 g crispy rice cereal not Kellogg's
- 80 g butter or butter alternative I use Flora Plant Butter
- 30 g cocoa powder
- 3-4 tbsp boiled water add the 4th if too thick
To decorate
- 200 g white marzipan
- 9 sugar holly decorations
- 2 squares dairy free white chocolate melted
Instructions
- Heat the marshmallows and butter alternative in a large saucepan on a very gentle heat, stir occasionally with a silicone spatula and don’t leave unwatched.
- While you’re waiting for the mallows to melt, prepare your cocoa powder paste. In a bowl or cup weigh the cocoa powder and add 3 tablespoons of boiled water, mix well to make a paste. Add the 4th tablespoon of water if the paste is too thick.
- Once the mallows have completely melted (the mixture will go all fluffy) you can add the cocoa paste. The mixture will loosen (go a little more watery, don't worry this is normal).TOP TIP: I keep the heat turned down as low as possible now to keep the mixture workable.
- Add the rice crispies and with a silicone spatula mix thoroughly to coat all the cereal in chocolate marshmallow mixture.
- Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 20x20cm loose bottom square tin. Quickly begin to press the mixture down.TOP TIP: have a cup of water handy and dip the spatula into the water if you find the mixture misbehaving.
- Once you have pressed the marshmallow mixture firmly down, pop into the fridge for 20+ mins to harden.
- Then remove and cut into 9 squares, placing each square bottom side up on a tray, plate or cooling rack.TOP TIP: the squares are presented upside down for two reasons, firstly they look better this way up and secondly the marzipan topper will stick better.
To decorate your Crispy Christmas Pudding Squares
- To decorate your chocolate marshmallow Christmas puddings, simply roll out the marzipan no a surface with a little icing sugar to prevent the marzipan from sticking to the counter.
- Cut out 9 shapes and place these on each of the 9 chocolate marshmallow squares, no need to add any 'glue' they will stick all by themselves.
- Finally, melt a little white chocolate (dairy free if necessary) and dab a little in the middle of each marzipan shape. Then finish with your holly decoration.
- You will need to allow the chocolate to set so return to the fridge for a bit and hey-presto you have the cutest Marshmallow Crispy Christmas Puddings.
Nutrition
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