Pashmak - Persian Fairy Floss

Pashmak - Persian Fairy Floss

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Pashmak is a finely spun sugary treat straight out of the bazaars of the Middle East. As with so many foreign gourmet ingredients it has become greatly sought after in Australia by professional chefs and avid home cooks alike. Traditionally blended with flavours such as rose, pistachio, saffron and orange blossom Pashmak is much finer than American Cotton Candy and can be stretched and shaped into different different arrangements depending on your application. Being such a fine product it does however need to be consumed relatively quickly after serving as it will begin to melt after exposure to moisture.


Using Pashmak:

Pashmak can be consumed on its own or used as a garnish. Because it is so fragile its use as an ingredient is limited, but it does add a whole lot of dramatic effect to any number of sweet treats. You can place a handful of Pashmak atop a decadent mousse or rest it on a sorbet. Garnish sweet canapé with a tuft of finely spun fibers or scrunch into a ball and place on top of waffles with your other finishing ingredients. As pictured above you can also add other light weight garnishes such as rose petals or nuts on top of your Pashmak. The fibers are strong enough to hold small amount of weight making it appear as though your finishing touch were floating midair.


Storing Pashmak:

Pashmak begins to attract moisture as soon as it hits the air, so it is important that any leftover Pashmak be tightly sealed inside its packaging once opened. Wrapping it firmly with a cling film and sealing it inside an airtight container is the best way to extend the life of your Pashmak. It is highly recommended thought that you consume the Pashmak within several days of opening

Tips for decorating with Pashmak:

  1. Use pinched fingers to remove small amounts of Pashmak from the packaging.
  2. When volumising the Pashmak use a gentle tufting motion, ensuring that your fingertips are dry.
  3. Tweezers can be helpful for working with small amount of Pashmak.
  4. The dryer the surface your are placing the Pashmak on, the longer it will last.
  5. Pashmak not only looks stunning on top of desserts, but can also be used to create nests and shells for your sweet treats to rest in. 

Pashmak and a huge range of other Middle Eastern Ingredients are available now at The Essential Ingredient Rozelle and through The Essential Ingredient online store. For Rozelle store stock levels and pricing information please call us on +612 9555 8300 or send your enquiry to rozelle@essentialingredient.com.au.

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