Is there a difference between the ones you make at home and the Peeps you just can't resist picking up at the store?

你自己在家裡做的和店舖中無法抗拒的 Peeps 棉花糖有差別嗎？（譯註：Peeps 為美國製作動物形狀棉花糖的公司品牌）

Join us as we find out how marshmallows are really made.

跟我們一起探究棉花糖到底是怎麼製作的。

Americans do love their marshmallows.

美國人的確都很喜歡棉花糖。

As a nation, the National Confectioners Association says that around 90 million pounds of marshmallow are sold every year, which is about the same weight as 1,286 gray whales.

全國糖果協會表示，美國整體每年約賣出 9 千萬磅的棉花糖，其重量約等同於 1,286 頭灰鯨。

But what exactly is in the sugary treats?

但這些甜食中究竟有哪些材料？

According to the American Chemical Society, the ingredients in most marshmallows are pretty much what you'd expect.

根據美國化學學會所說，棉花糖中多數成分基本上與你所預期的差不多。

You have your sugar, corn syrup, modified cornstarch, and gelatin.

裡面有糖、玉米糖漿、修飾澱粉和明膠。

And air is so important to the process that it's pretty much an ingredient, too, because you can't achieve that pillowy texture without it.

而空氣對這個過程重要到它也可以算是一種材料，因為如果沒有它，就無法成就那枕頭般的質感。

Some types of marshmallows might also have some coloring or flavoring added, but for the most part, the ingredients are pretty simple.

有些種類的棉花糖可能還添加了色素或調味料，但在多數情況下，材料很簡單。

Most of the ingredients in marshmallows are pretty well-known, but then there's gelatin.

棉花糖裡大部分的材料都很有名，不過另外還有明膠。

According to the American Chemical Society, gelatin is important to the process because it's what gives marshmallows that fluffy, elastic, squishy texture.

據美國化學學會所說，明膠對這個過程很重要，因為它讓棉花糖具有蓬鬆、有彈性、鬆軟的質感。

Food scientists say that when all the ingredients are whipped together, gelatin essentially acts to bind liquid into the mixture.

食品科學家表示，當所有材料被攪拌在一起時，明膠的作用就是將液體結合到混合物中。

That creates the fluffy foam that becomes your marshmallow, and it also acts to extend the shelf life of the product.

那會創造最終成為棉花糖的蓬鬆泡沫，並且也扮演讓產品效期延長的功臣。

Marshmallows can kick around in the cabinet for up to 24 months and still be perfectly fine.

棉花糖可以被放在櫃子裡 24 個月，仍然完美可食。

Most of us consume gelatin everyday; I certainly do.

我們多數人每天都會吃到明膠，我肯定是如此。

As for what gelatin is, here's where things get yucky.

至於聊到明膠是什麼，可能就有點噁心了。

According to Healthline, gelatin is made by cooking collagen, which is the connective tissue found in things like bones, ligaments, and skin.

健康線上網站指出，明膠是透過烹飪膠原蛋白製成的，而膠原蛋白是可以在骨骼、韌帶和皮膚等器官中發現的結締組織。

So, instead of going to waste, those parts are boiled to make gelatin.

所以說，與其被丟棄，這些部位會被沸煮以製作明膠。

It's high in protein and contains vital amino acids, so consider your marshmallows super healthy.

它的蛋白質含量高、含有重要的氨基酸，所以可以將棉花糖視為是超級健康的。

According to "How Products Are Made", there are two types of ingredients that go into making marshmallows, and they are emulsifying agents and sweeteners.

根據《How Products Are Made》網站上所說，製作棉花糖有兩種材料，分別是乳化劑和甜味劑。

Sweeteners, like sugar and corn syrup, provide the flavor.

像是糖和玉米糖漿的甜味劑會提供風味。

Meanwhile, emulsifiers create that distinctive texture.

同時，乳化劑則創造了那獨特的質地。

A marshmallow needs to be able to hold its shape while still incorporating a lot of air, and emulsifiers are how that happens.

棉花糖需要在融入許多空氣的同時，依然能夠維持形狀，而讓這件事發生的就是乳化劑。

The whole marshmallow-making process usually starts by mixing sugar, corn syrup, and water, then bringing it to a boil.

整個棉花糖的製作過程通常從混合糖、玉米糖漿和水開始，然後將其煮沸。

The gelatin is added at this point, and after the mixture is strained, it's whipped, a lot.

明膠會在這時被加入，然後在混合物過篩後，會被充分地打發。

The whipping process is incredibly important, and at this point, the mixture will turn foamy and double or triple in size, thanks to air, and any additional flavors are added to the mix.

打發過程極其重要，而在這個階段，混合物會變成泡沫狀，然後體積在空氣的作用下增加了兩至三倍，同時，任何額外的調味都會被添加到混合物中。

Before extrusion was added to the marshmallow-making process in the 1950s, the marshmallow-shaping was done by hand.

擠壓技術在 1950 年代加入棉花糖製作過程前，其塑形工作是手工完成的。

According to the "New York Times",

《紐約時報》報導指出：

"A century ago, confectioners made marshmallows from a froth of sugar, starch, and gelatin in a laborious process that involved lots of primping."

「一個世紀以前，糖果商利用糖、澱粉和明膠的泡沫製作棉花糖，這是一個費力的過程，涉及大量整頓。」

"Each candy had to 'sweat' for several hours to form its delicate skin, and then it was sprinkled with starch."

「每顆糖果都必須『出水』數小時以形成其精緻的外皮，然後再以澱粉灑上。」

However, candy company executive Alex Doumak came up with the idea of treating the goopy, raw marshmallow dough as though it was something more industrial than food,

然而，一位糖果公司高層 Alex Doumak 有了一個想法，將黏稠的生棉花糖團視為工業產物而不是食物，

and he ultimately developed the extrusion machine that's still used today.

然後他最終發明了沿用至今的擠壓機器。

Basically, the raw material gets pushed through long tubes and put under extreme pressure.

基本上，原物料會被推入長管並置於極高壓之下。

By the time it gets to the end of the machine, long whips of marshmallows have been formed.

當它抵達機器末端時，長條狀的棉花糖已經形成。

Those are then sliced into the bite-sized chunks we know and love in a fraction of the time it used to take.

它們接著會被切成我們熟悉、喜愛的一口大小塊狀，比起過去，只需要一丁點的時間。

This clever method is sometimes dubbed "jet-puffed".

這個聰明的方法有時被稱為 jet-puffed。

Pastry chefs across the country are embracing the marshmallow as something sweet and delicious that they can put their own spin on.

全國各地的糕點師傅都欣然地視棉花糖為一種甜美、可口的東西，讓他們可以加上自己的特色。

As chef Peter Brett told the "Washington Post",

正如廚師 Peter Brett 跟《華盛頓郵報》說的：

"A homemade marshmallow is really a revelation. It's like magic, simple syrup turning into marshmallow."

「自製的棉花糖真的令人大開眼界，它就像魔術一樣，將平凡的糖漿變成棉花糖。」

"I always thought marshmallow was something that had to be made in 500-gallon vats in a big factory, something very mysterious."

「我一直以為棉花糖是必須在 5 百加侖大桶中製作、一種非常神祕的東西。」

Remember, marshmallows are really healthy, so just a small amount of sugar.

記住，棉花糖真的很健康，所以說，我們只加入少量的糖。

And author Jennifer Reese told NPR,

作者 Jennifer Reese 跟全國公共廣播電台說：

"[T]hey just taste so much better. They're just more delicious. They don't turn out to be cheaper, but they are better."

「它們就是好吃多了。它們就是更美味。它們不見得比較便宜，但它們更好吃。」

"After you have tasted a sugar-white homemade marshmallow, you will not care. Homemade marshmallows are fairy food; pillowy, quivering, and soft."

「在你嚐過雪白自製棉花糖後，你就不會在意了。自製棉花糖根本是仙女吃的食物，枕頭般、不斷抖動且鬆軟。」

According to Reese, making marshmallows at home isn't particularly difficult, but it's not necessarily cheaper than buying the store-bought ones.

根據 Reese 所說，在家裡製作棉花糖並不特別困難，但它不一定比商店買的便宜。

The process is much the same, though, as you boil your ingredients, whip them into a foam, and let the mixture set.

但是製作過程基本上是相同的，你會煮沸材料、將它們打發成泡沫，然後讓混合物凝固。

People have been enjoying marshmallows for a really long time, and it goes all the way back to ancient Egypt.

人們享用棉花糖已經有很長的時間了，可以回溯到古埃及時期。

Those original marshmallows were made differently, though.

不過那些原始的棉花糖是以不同方式製成的。

According to ThoughtCo., honey was the original sweetener, and it was sap from the marshmallow plant that was used to thicken the candies.

根據 ThoughtCo. 所以，蜂蜜是一開始的甜味劑，然後讓它變得濃稠的是藥蜀葵的根汁。

Marshmallow plants were, as their name suggests, harvested from alongside large bodies of water.

藥蜀葵正如其英文名所指出，是沿著大量水體岸邊採集的。（譯註：marshmallow 中，marsh 表示「沼澤，濕地」）

They were used well into the 19th century, when the sap was removed, cooked with egg whites and sugar, then whipped.

它們一直被使用到 19 世紀，當根汁被移除並與蛋白和糖一起煮，然後打發。

These original marshmallow candies were also considered to be medicinal.

這些原始的棉花糖也被視為有醫療效果。

According to "Medical News Today",

據《Medical News Today》指出，

there have been studies that seem to confirm that the root of the marshmallow plant can be used to successfully treat coughs, chronic dry mouth, skin irritation, and may also speed wound healing.

似乎已經有研究證實藥蜀葵的根部可用於成功地治療咳嗽、慢性口乾燥症、皮膚過敏，還可能加速傷口癒合。

If only modern-day marshmallows had healing properties.

如果現代的棉花糖有治療功能就好了。

Everyone knows that there's nothing quite like a fluffernutter sandwich.

我們都知道，沒有什麼比棉花糖醬三明治更好吃的了。

So, when it comes to marshmallow fluff, what's so different about the recipe?

那麼，提到棉花糖醬，它的食譜有什麼不同呢？

According to the American Chemical Society, egg whites were previously used in most standard marshmallow recipes, but they've since been dropped from most store-bought products.

美國化學學會表示，過去多數一般的棉花糖食譜中都會用到蛋白，但它們後來在多數店購產品中都被剔除了。

However, egg whites are still used in marshmallow fluff, and that's what gives it that extra gooey texture.

然而，蛋白仍然被用在棉花糖醬中，給予其格外黏稠的質地。

Marshmallow fluff was actually invented in the 1890s, and it was also originally considered to be medicinal.

棉花糖醬其實是在 1890 年代發明的，而且它最初也被認為有醫療效用。

One company sang its praises as a wrinkle remover, and if you can get people to smear marshmallow fluff on their faces, that's some brilliant marketing.

有一間公司大放厥詞，說它可以用來移除皺紋，那如果你可以說服人們把棉花糖將抹在臉上，那就是成功的行銷手段了。

But the marshmallow fluff we know and love today is a little different, and was reportedly developed in 1917 by Archibald Query.

但我們今天所知、喜愛的棉花糖醬有點不一樣，據說是 Archibald Query 在 1917 年發明的。

It uses just four ingredients, which are dried egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla.

它只使用了四種材料，分別是乾燥蛋白、糖、玉米糖漿以及香草。

So, now you know.

那你現在就知道了。

Check out one of our newest videos right here!

點擊這裡觀看我們的最新影片！

Plus, even more Mashed videos about your favorite sweet treats are coming soon.

此外，更多關於你最喜愛甜食的 Mashed 影片也即將推出。

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.

請訂閱我們的 YouTube 頻道並開啟小鈴鐺以確保不會錯過任何一部影片。