Get in touch with your soft and squidgy side with Edinburgh's Marshmallow Lady

One's a savvy and successful businesswoman, the other a soft and squidgy temptress indulging our sweetest fantasies.
Cloud-like confectionery: Nicole and her minions are taking the humble marshmallow to new heights in Rodney Street, EdinburghCloud-like confectionery: Nicole and her minions are taking the humble marshmallow to new heights in Rodney Street, Edinburgh
Cloud-like confectionery: Nicole and her minions are taking the humble marshmallow to new heights in Rodney Street, Edinburgh

Together, entrepreneur Nicole Roberts and her alter ego, the Marshmallow Lady, are a formidable force.

A self-styled confectionery superhero, Nicole’s determination to be different saw her buck the cupcake trend to open the country’s first dedicated marshmallow shop.

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“I wanted to do something completely different; not just in Edinburgh or Scotland, but in the UK. When I opened the shop in 2012 handmade gourmet marshmallows were the only thing I sold,” says Nicole, 32. “There are so many marshmallow shops now, but I can safely say mine was the first.”

It all started in 2010, when a grant from the Princes’ Trust allowed her to launch the business from her home in Leith, initially selling her produce online and at local farmers’ markets. Now producing up to 17,000 marshmallows a week, Nicole still makes every one herself using her own additive-free recipes for consistent quality and maximum fluffiness.

“I have a great team of marshmallow minions who handcut and package them, otherwise I do everything myself. It’s widely acknowledged that marshmallows are one of the hardest things to make consistently well,” she adds.

Still a regular at Stockbridge Farmers’ Market, Nicole also boasts some high profile clients for her bespoke marshmallows, including the Balmoral Hotel, Talisker, Johnnie Walker, the Royal Botanic Gardens and top Edinburgh chef Mark Greenaway. With creations such as prosecco and rose petals, salted caramel swirls and chocolate mousse, it’s not difficult to see why they are popular. There’s also a mini-egg smorgasbord just for Easter.

The Marshmallow Lady, 14 Rodney Street, 07843 699790, www.burghbakes.com. Open: Easter Sunday and Monday, 11am-4pm; Wed-Sat, 11am-6pm.