Published by Quirk Marshmallow Madness costs £10.99 and is available from booksellers or through Amazon. Shauna Sever’s fabulous new cookbook Marshmallow Madness is already proving a hit with her avid followers. Borehamwood Times: Sever's servings

The San Francisco mother-of-one is one of the net’s most popular food bloggers – www.shaunasever.com/blog – who unashamedly loves sweets and desserts. She might not look it from her website photographs considering her trim figure, but she really relished testing her recipes for her first cookbook – just out.

“It’s a glorious celebration of sugar in which I hope you will fearlessly partake,” she blogged to her followers.

Shauna produces everything from classic Vanilla Bean or Deeply Chocolate marshmallows through to Margarita, Buttered Rum, Strawberry Daquari, and Malibu Marshmallow for grown-ups. There’s fresh and fruity Purple Grape, Lemonade, Honeyed Apricot, Creamsicle, or go gourmet with Mango-Chilli-Lime or Nutella-Filled Hazelnut. For kids there are recipes for a marshmallow Birthday Cake, Fluffernutter or Bubble Gum, or serve luscious desserts like Pink Velvet Whoopie Pies, Blond Rocky Road and Mallow cones. They come in all shapes and sizes, from squares, cubes, twirls, balls, cups, and even side-bars. It’s a veritable cornucopia of confectionery.

Kool-Aid Marshmallows

Makes: About 2 dozen 1½in marshmallows
THE BLOOM: One (16-ounce) packet unsweetened Kool-Aid drink mix, any flavour, but I use Tropical Punch for these hot pink marshmallows. 4fl oz cold water. 5 teaspoons unflavoured powdered gelatin.
THE SYRUP:
5oz sugar 4fl oz light corn syrup, divided, 4fl oz cold water, eighth teaspoon fine sea salt.
THE MALLOWING:
2oz Classic Coating plus more for dusting 4 packets Pop Rocks for sprinkling.

Borehamwood Times: Kool-Aid Marshmallows METHOD
• Coat an 8inx8in baking pan with cooking spray. Whisk together the Kool-Aid mix, cold water, and gelatin in a small bowl. Let it soften for 5 minutes.
• Stir together the sugar, 2fl oz of the corn syrup, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring the syrup to a boil, stirring until it reaches 240°F. Pour the remaining corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk.
• Microwave the gelatin on high until melted, about 30 seconds, and pour it into the corn syrup. Set the mixer to low and keep it running. When the syrup reaches 240°F, pour it into the mixer bowl.
• Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. Increase to medium-high and beat for 5 more minutes. Beat on the highest setting for 1 to 2 minutes. The finished marshmallow will be tripled in volume.
• Pour it into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to smooth it into the corners. Sift coating over top. Let it set for 6 hours in a cool, dry place.
• Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan. Invert the slab onto a coating-dusted work surface and dust it with more coating. Cut into shapes and dip the sticky edges in Pop Rocks or more coating, patting off the excess.