Makes about 30 haystacks
AS YOU MAY KNOW, I AM A FAN OF MARSHMALLOW. IN FACT, ONCE UPON A TIME, I found a way to write an entire book about them and I loved every fluffy, sticky second of it. You might also notice I’ve managed to sneak them into several recipes in this book, and for that I offer no apologies. It turns out the marshmallow as we now know it has significant midwestern roots—its inventor was Alex Doumak, a Greek American who created the marshmallow extrusion process in 1954. This development made his family’s confectionery business more efficient and profitable. The family moved the company to Bensenville, Illinois, in 1961, and has been a marshmallow-only company ever since, manufacturing several popular brands and exporting mallows across the globe. (If you can think of a more delightful business model, I’d love to hear it.)
This riff on the midwestern favorite, the haystack, celebrates that marshmallow heritage by stuffing as many of them as possible into a kitschy mix of crunchy chow mein noodles and sweet, tan goo. The goo in question here swaps out the typical butterscotch chips for high-quality white chocolate, allowing the peanut butter to really shine.
2 tablespoons/28 g unsalted butter
8 ounces/225 g high-quality white bar chocolate, chopped
¼ cup/65 g creamy peanut butter, such as Skippy brand
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 cups/170 g crunchy chow mein noodles
½ cup/70 g blanched slivered almonds
3 cups/150 g miniature marshmallows
Sprinkles (optional)
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a 5- to 6-quart/4.7 to 5/7 L, heavy-bottomed pot over low heat, melt the butter. Add the white chocolate and stir constantly until nearly smooth. Turn off the heat. Add the peanut butter and salt and stir until completely smooth. Add the chow mein noodles and almonds and stir to coat. Stir in the marshmallows.
Using 2 spoons, scoop the mixture into portions, 2 heaping tablespoons each, and place on the prepared baking sheets. Decorate with sprinkles, if you wish. Set the baking sheets in the refrigerator to chill until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool place (not the fridge) for up to 1 week.