Dublin-based couple Sherrie Paltrineri and Bill Love have turned their confectionery hobby into a full-time business with Artisan Hill Treats, a venture that started in their kitchen during in 2020.

Paltrineri spent more than 30 years working for food distributor Sodexo, where she worked in marketing and as a kitchen manager for higher-ed clients. Following a job loss due to the shift to remote learning in 2020, Paltrineri looked for a new direction and found it in crafting sweets.

Artisan Hill Treats started with handmade gourmet cocoa bombs, spherical chocolate shells filled with cocoa mix and candies that melt into creamy hot cocoa when dropped into hot milk.

The couple initially marketed these cocoa bombs at local farmers' markets, a continuation of Paltrineri’s previous experience selling LuLaRoe clothing locally.

"The cocoa bombs sold like crazy, so we did it for a second Christmas," Paltrineri said. "After that, we were just looking for something that people wanted that wasn't ‘winter’ - so we started doing the chocolate-covered s'mores. It just kind of blossomed from there!"

Paltrineri’s chocolate-covered s’mores proved popular, and inspired her to explore making homemade marshmallows, a trend gaining traction in the Midwest. She eventually discovered an artisan marshmallow company called XO Marshmallow based in Chicago.

"I kind of got obsessed watching their videos, and saw the success they were having, so I started doing some research," Paltrineri said. "We spent a couple months playing around with recipes, different flavors, until we got it to where we wanted it."

Artisan Hill Treats began selling its homemade marshmallows only about a year ago, but their business has taken off quickly.

"People are very excited about the marshmallows, because it's not something you usually see," Paltrineri said.

Paltrineri noted that several attempts have been made to sell higher-quality, flavored marshmallows at a large scale. A company called SmashMallow found that the process was too complex to automate at scale, and they weren't able to keep up with demand.

"It's almost impossible to do large-batch flavored marshmallows, and keep them fresh and at the quality that you want," Paltrineri explained. "The concept was there, but they just couldn't produce. So you won't really see gourmet marshmallows on a large-scale basis."

The marshmallow-making process involves boiling sugar and corn syrup, then whipping the mixture into a gelatin. Paltrineri described the process as deceptively simple but requiring careful timing and technique to perfect.

“It's really just getting the timing down and knowing exactly when to stop whipping it," Paltrineri explained. "If you over-whip or under-whip them, they won't come out right.

Artisan Hill Treats always has eight flavors of marshmallow available, and adds a few seasonal flavors depending on the time of year. Regular flavors include cotton candy, salted caramel, toasted coconut, maple, cookies 'n' cream, churro and vanilla. This month's flavor is Nutella and hazelnut. Other limited flavors have included margarita and cherry almond.

In addition to marshmallows, Artisan Hill Treats produces chocolate-covered s’mores in flavors like coconut almond and chocolate mint. They are also known for their handmade marshmallow cream, a nod to the classic Marshmallow Fluff.

Looking ahead, Artisan Hill Treats plans to reintroduce cocoa bombs for the upcoming winter season. The couple remains committed to using local ingredients whenever possible and continues to engage the community through local farmers' markets, including those in Jaffrey, Hancock, Bedford and Henniker.

For information or to place an order, visit Artisan Hill Treats’ website at artisanhilltreats.com.