Homemade marshmallow is a very tasty and healthy delicacy that is easy to prepare yourself from various fruits and berries. For adults and children, a primordially Russian dessert can be an excellent alternative to the not always healthy shop sweets.
You can cook marshmallow at home with or without sugar. In the second case, you will have a completely natural dietary product. If desired, sugar can be replaced with healthier honey or powdered sugar. Powdered sugar makes homemade marshmallows more fluffy. The process of making homemade marshmallows cannot be called fast, but the time spent on cooking will more than pay off with an amazingly tasty and healthy result.
Plum Pastila
For 1 kg of plums, you need about 100 g of sugar.
Step by step recipe:
- Place the washed and pitted plums in a wide saucepan with a thick and flat bottom. Covering the pan with a lid, put the plums on a slow fire to boil. After boiling, add a little sugar and, stirring constantly, cook the plums until they are well soft.
- Chop the boiled plums with a blender or rub through a coarse sieve.
- Line a baking sheet with a rim with a silicone mat or baking paper. If you are using baking paper, grease it with vegetable oil additionally. Thanks to this simple trick, it will be easier for you to remove the finished marshmallow from the parchment. Put the plum puree on a baking sheet in a thin even layer no more than 0.5-07 cm thick. To level the plum mass, use a pastry spatula or an ordinary kitchen knife.
- Dry the plum puree in the oven at a temperature not higher than + 70-80 ° С. For even air circulation, turn on the "Blow" mode or slightly open the oven door.
The finished plum dessert can be easily recognized by its surface: it must be perfectly dry and smooth.
Pear Pastila
For 1 kg of pears, you need 2-3 medium star anise stars and 3 g of ground cardamom.
Please note that both good, strong pears and slightly crumpled, overripe fruits can be used to make pear marshmallows. When using overripe pears, be sure to remove not only the seed box and tails, but also all rotten, wormy areas from them.
- Dry the washed pears well on a paper towel. Remove seedbeds, tails, and any damaged parts from them. Cut the pulp together with the skin into small pieces.
- Place the chopped pears in a saucepan or wide saucepan with a thick, flat bottom. Cover the pot with a lid and place over low heat. Simmer pears over low heat until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Stir the pears occasionally while boiling to prevent them from burning. At the very end of cooking, add a couple of star anise stars and a pinch of ground cardamom to the pear mass. If the pears have released too much juice during cooking, then you can drain it a little and drink it chilled like a compote.
- Cool the softened pears a little. Next, take out the star anise stars and chop the fruit with a hand blender. As a result, you should have a homogeneous pear mass without any lumps. If the gruel is too runny, then simmer the pears again over low heat. Bring the pear mass to a fairly thick consistency.
- Preheat the oven to + 100 ° C. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or baking paper. If using baking paper, coat it with extra vegetable oil. Place the pear mass on a baking sheet and gently flatten with a spoon or spatula. Try to spread the mass in a thin layer, otherwise you will have to turn it over when baking. Dry the pastille with the oven door slightly ajar. The exact time is difficult to say, but on average the drying process usually takes about 5-7 hours. The finished pear marshmallow usually has an even golden color. When touched, it does not stick to your fingers. Do not remove the dried pastille immediately from the oven. Let it cool completely on baking paper or rug.
Cut the finished pastille into rectangles and gently roll it into a roll or roll. Store pear marshmallows only in a glass jar in a cool, dry place.
