Hey! Would you like one of these oozingly incredible marshmallow milkshakes?
Or maybe you fancy a hot chocolate topped with meltingly soft prosecco-and-rose marshmallows instead?
This particular hot chocolate was made with handcrafted Edward & Irwyn Scandinavian Spice dark milk chocolate with ginger and cardamom, and frothed cream, though you can also try a cinnamon and green mandarin version too.
The marshmallows, milkshakes, and hot chocolate are the work of Edinburgh-based confectioner The Marshmallow Lady, otherwise known as Nicole Roberts. She tells BuzzFeed Life: "When people first see the prosecco and rose marshmallows they often ask if the rose petals are edible. Of course they are! I promise it isn't a trick."
Nicole makes fresh, ludicrously tasty gourmet marshmallows in a wide range of unusual flavours, including key lime pie, peanut butter, millionaire's shortbread, blueberry and toasted almond, salted caramel, whisky, toasted coconut, and After Eight mint.
All the marshmallows are handmade in Nicole's shop. "Big manufacturers have marshmallow cutting machines but our marshmallows are far too complicated, so we have to do it by hand. People often ask what cutting machine I use as they're so precise and pretty. I say: 'She's called Rhona.' You have to have a really good eye, and hers is the best."
Nicole explains: "I've been making marshmallows since I was 25; I'm now 30. I'm entirely self-taught. I graduated from university in 2009 and struggled to find a job. One day, I spotted a picture of a giant chocolate marshmallow on a food blog. It was balanced on the side of a really dainty teacup and the juxtaposition really struck me. I rang my mum at 4am and announced that I was going to start a gourmet marshmallow business. I'd never stuck at anything in the past, so I think she was quite worried!"
As well as the shakes and individual marshmallows, Nicole also makes toasted s'mores, s'more pops, chocolate mousse marshmallow cakes, and oversized Nutella and toasted hazelnut "mega mallows". Nicole sells the mallow products from her shop in Edinburgh's Canonmills district, and at a wide range of outdoor markets and other events around Scotland.
She continues: "The flavours have evolved over the years through a combination of trial and (mainly) error. The millionaire's shortbread marshmallow is one of the most popular. I use artisanal shortbread as the base, infuse the marshmallow with caramel, then drizzle it with milk chocolate. I don't have much competition in Scotland really; most people I speak to haven't tried gourmet marshmallows and when they see the full range they're really surprised."
Nicole continues: "I never stop experimenting, really. I'm making a maple bacon marshmallow next week, which you wouldn't think would work, but it's actually amazing. But my favourite marshmallow of all time was made with an Eden Brewery rum cask stout and topped with candied pecans: It was the most delicious thing I ever tasted."
Gourmet marshmallows, luxury hot chocolate, and amazing milkshakes. What's not to love?
Thank you for these magical Christmas gifts, Marshmallow Lady.
The Marshmallow Lady at 14 Rodney Street, Canonmills, Edinburgh, is open at these times in the run up to Christmas and New Year 2015.