Will the real marshmallow lovers, please stand up

Rest your weary taste buds on the softest pillow imaginable.

Sweet potato pies with marshmallow tops Source: Fried Chicken and Friends

Biting into a real marshmallow is the eating equivalent of your head hitting your pillow at the end of a long day. So soft and nurturing that your heart gives a little sigh.

Real marshmallows are nothing like store-bought marshmallows. No matter what the marketers say. The store-bought kind tastes mostly of sugar and promises. Your homemade version melt so quickly and sweetly on the tongue that you'll momentarily wonder if this is what dreams taste like.

Once you make a batch of softly springy marshmallows, you'll never go back. Or, you might pick up a packet purely for jamming onto sticks and melting over the embers of the coals. Homemade marshmallows are far too good (and a little bit too melty) to waste on such a plain ritual.

Instead, put them into one of these recipes and let your heart sigh loudly with pleasure.

Honey, honey

Not an artificial-anything in sight. Source: Alan Benson

First, we make the marshmallows. Matthew Evan's honey and orange blossom version are everything you're going to love in a homemade marshmallow. Subtly sweet with a gentle fragrance that isn't overpowered by excess saccharine. You'll also quickly learn just how easy it is to whip up a homemade version.

Marbled morsels

You can also mix up choc peanut, or jam and coconut, or peppermint marshmallows using this same recipe. Source: Nicholas Watt

Add a colourful swirl to make your treats just a little bit fancy. Otherwise, this vanilla marshmallow recipe is a plain base to add any kind of flavouring you like. Honeycomb marshmallows, anyone?

Biscuit makeover

Trust Katherine Sabbath to give the Anzac biscuit the perfect makeover. Source: Adam Liaw

This is an Anzac biscuit, but not as you know it. Marshmallow joins forces with chocolate and coconut to bring out the classic Aussie bickie's sweet side.

Go-go vovo

In a word: mallow-ificent. Source: Bake Australia Great by Katherine Sabbath

Homemade marshmallows help celebrate the iced vovo biscuit in Katherine Sabbath's trifle homage. The marshmallows are flavoured pink by adding raspberry puree, then jammed in with jelly, sponge, cream and the iconic bickies themselves.

S'more like it

Make a batch of s'mores ready for your next camping trip... or tonight. Source: The Chocolate Queen

Americans can't get enough of this dessert (hence the name - s'more/some more). You're about to find out why. Your homemade marshmallows meet your homemade graham crackers in a match made in fireside heaven.

Sweet top

Sweet potato in a tart works just as well as pumpkin in a pie. Especially when topped with light-as-air marshmallow. Source: Fried Chicken and Friends

Marshmallow makes a wonderful fluffy topping for any kind of sweet. Even sweet potato pies. This ultra-light marshmallow topping would also make a wonderful topping for your next chocolate cake.

Unexpected twist

Serve these novel twists on their own, or use them to embellish a special tart or cake. Source: Kirsten Tibballs

Kirsten Tibballs' chocolate marshmallow knots take the marshmallow square for a turn. They're not half as fiddly to make as they look, but definitely as fun.

Petite mores

This recipe utilises titanium-strength gelatine - which actually weighs a trifling five grams. Being considered "titanium" in gelatine leaf circles does not require a lot. Source: Alan Benson

Delightful little morsels that utilise the power of strawberry marshmallows. Oh yes, you're going to add strawberries to your standard marshmallow mix and thank yourself profusely with every pleasing bite.

Use your new homemade marshmallows skills to lift these recipes

Any recipe using marshmallows is good, but it's even better when you toss in your homemade marshmallows rather than store-bought. Try it and see.

Crackle on

Just when you thought chocolate crackles couldn't get any better, marshmallow got involved... Source: The Chocolate Queen

What happens when you combine two childhood favourite treats? Chocolate crackly mallowy yum, is what.

Banana toast

"This is a great campfire oldie but a goodie, and possibly the only thing I remember from being a terrible Girl Guide," says Poh Ling Yeow. Source: China Squirrel

Take a banana and your homemade marshmallows, add a few squares of chocolate and voila. Instant new favourite campfire dessert. Thank you, Poh.

Blondie gift

This blondie is caramelly, brown-butter deliciousness, fudgy and studded with chocolate chunks and marshmallows. Source: Mary's Kitchen Crush

Cut your marshmallows up fine and add them to brown butter blondies. The soft marshmallows provide lovely 'give' amongst the crunch of chocolate chunks and nuts.

Not-so-rocky road

Just let us dig in and never come out again. Source: China Squirrel

This Moroccan version of rocky road is already pretty special, with Frangelico, coffee, almonds, candied oranges and dates adding plenty of interesting flavour. But just wait until you add those homemade marshies.

Roll with it

Jam, marshmallow and chocolate French toast rolls are something extra-special. Source: Alan Benson

If you've ever had a Wagon Wheel (and if you haven't, go ahead and do), then you'll know how exciting it is to learn that all the WW flavours could merge with French toast and be eaten for breakfast. You honestly have to wonder how some recipes are ever arrived at, but you're endlessly grateful the journey was made.