Who invented marshmallows?

Marshmallow candy was first enjoyed by ancient Egyptians with nuts and honey as a treat for royalty; in the Middle Ages a sap was extracted from the mallow plant, that grows in marshes, to soothe sore throats.

Early 19th century French were the first to whip the marshmallow sap and sweeten it to make candy; in 1948, American Alex Doumak invented the extrusion process of putting the ingredients through tubes that squeeze out as a cylinder shape.

Modern marshmallows are not made with mallow root, but with gelatin; marshmallow creme is made with egg whites.