Fruit marshmallow is a delicious dessert that is suitable for both young children and weight watchers. It is prepared only from fruits and berries with or without added sugar. This dessert is not only not harmful, but also healthy. After all, it contains fruit fiber, vitamins, trace elements.
Pastila is a primordially Russian delicious dessert that came to us from the 14th century. According to legend, the recipe was invented by the inhabitants of Kolomna. Initially, this delicacy was made from apples. Honey was also added to it, which was replaced by sugar in the 19th century. Since about the 15th century, egg white has been put into the marshmallow, thanks to which it acquired a beautiful white color. This ingredient was kept secret for a long time, until they learned how to make marshmallows in France. So the secret of the white Russian marshmallow was indirectly revealed.
Until the 20th century, this sweet dish was called "postila", from the word "postlano". The finished marshmallow layers were cut into pieces of various shapes or rolled into rolls.
Step-by-step recipe for pear marshmallow
Nowadays, marshmallows are made, as a rule, from any fruits and berries. Pear marshmallow has an undeniable advantage, because this dish is prepared with a minimum amount of sugar. The preparation is simple and does not take a lot of time.
To prepare a classic pear marshmallow you will need:
pears - 8 pieces
sugar - ¼ glass
water - ¼ glass
vegetable oil for lubrication
Preparation
We select the most juicy pears, rinse in running water, then remove a thin layer of peel. Cut the fruits into two halves, clean them of the stalks and seed pods. Then we cut into small pieces and transfer to a container with a thick bottom. Fill with water so as not to burn and set over medium heat.
Now our task is to get a gentle puree. To do this, simmer the pears for a little over an hour, stirring so that the mixture does not burn. When the fruit is almost ready, add sugar and keep on fire until it is completely dissolved. You can grind the finished mass in a blender, or it is better to rub it through a sieve..
Preheat the oven, not much, to 90 degrees. The marshmallow dries in the oven, which is why the temperature is so low. Lay strong parchment paper on the bottom of the baking sheet, grease with refined vegetable oil and spread the finished pear puree with a thin layer (about 5 mm), gently leveling it with a spatula. The layer of puree should be perfectly even. We send the baking sheet to the preheated oven. If the stove does not have ventilation, the door must be slightly opened.
It is being prepared, or rather dried, marshmallow for about four hours. It should turn golden brown and not stick to your fingers. If it doesn’t stick, then it’s ready. We take it out of the baking sheet and let it cool completely. Then turn the parchment upside down. To easily separate the marshmallow layer, moisten the paper with water.
We cut the layer into rectangles with a knife and roll them into tubes. You can store the pastille in a glass container at room temperature. If the pieces are of a soft consistency, then it is better to store such a product in the refrigerator under a lid.
As you can see, the recipe for marshmallow is pretty simple. By the way, if you want to add bright notes to a delicacy, add one star anise star and ½ teaspoon of cardamom to the chopped pears. You can add whipped proteins with sugar to the pear puree and then we get the famous "Belevskaya" pastille. It has the most delicate flavor of a fragrant pear, a soufflé structure and remains juicy, despite the fact that it takes a long time to dry.
Making marshmallows is a fun and creative process. If you get a pear candy, try to prepare the same dish, but with different fruits and berries. The manufacturing technology is the same. The main thing is to get a delicate puree and dry it properly in the oven. By the way, if you grease a marshmallow pancake with honey and sprinkle with a nut mix, you get an even more exquisite dessert.
Useful properties of marshmallow
Is there a benefit to traditional fruit marshmallows? Of course, because it is prepared from fruits rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and carbohydrates. It has been proven, for example, that pears are a kind of antidepressant that can also increase the body's resistance to pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Any fruit and berry puree contains especially a lot of ascorbic acid necessary to strengthen the immune system. Making fruit and berry marshmallows has always been one of the ways to preserve the supply of vitamins for the long winter. This sweetness improves digestion due to the high amount of pectins. And pectin, as you know, absorbs harmful substances accumulated in the intestines and removes them from the body. It also helps cleanse blood vessels from cholesterol plaques. Traditional marshmallow is allowed to be consumed as a delicacy even for diseases of the pancreas. This dessert contains enough glucose for the production of the so-called hormone of joy - a good source of easily digestible carbohydrates. As for the calorie content, this is a fairly high-calorie delicacy (300 kcal per 100 g). Therefore, it cannot be called a dietary product.
About the dangers of marshmallow
Homemade pastilles are completely harmless. After all, this is a natural product. But in the pastille, which is produced industrially, there is a lot of sugar, additives and dyes, which completely overlaps all the useful properties of this product. People with diabetes and those who want to lose weight should not get carried away with such a dessert.
