The composition of the marshmallow, useful properties of the product and contraindications for use. How to make marshmallow and what recipes with its participation are the easiest to implement in your home kitchen?
Pastila is a product popular all over the world with a long history, which has an exclusively Russian origin. The sweetness is made from berries or fruits with the addition of sugar or honey. The sweet puree is dried to a chewy mass in the ovens. Pastila is used in its usual form or as part of desserts. It has many beneficial properties for the human body and is recommended for use by children. When should you avoid eating a treat and with what drinks is it customary to use it in different countries of the world?
Composition and calorie content of marshmallow
The product is made on the basis of fruit and berry puree. The most common are apple, strawberry and raspberry marshmallows. In shape, it can be rectangular (carved and sheet), formed into a roll or an oblong loaf.
The classic composition of the product includes the following ingredients:
- applesauce;
- egg white;
- granulated sugar or honey;
- a small amount of flour (needed to hold the product together).
The calorie content of a classic pastille with sugar per 100 g is 324 kcal, of which:
- Proteins - 0.5 g;
- Fat - 0 g;
- Carbohydrates - 80 g;
- Dietary fiber - 0.8 g;
- Water - 18 g.
Energy ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates: 1%: 0%: 99%.
Vitamins per 100 g of product:
- Vitamin PP - 0.2 mg;
- Vitamin B2 (B2) - 0.01 mg.
- Niacin - 0.1 mg
Minerals per 100 g of product:
- Iron (Fe) - 1.6 mg;
- Phosphorus (P) - 11 mg;
- Potassium (K) - 55 mg;
- Sodium (Na) - 16 mg;
- Magnesium (Mg) - 7 mg;
- Calcium (Ca) - 21 mg.
Digestible carbohydrates per 100 g:
- Starch and dextrins - 3.6 g;
- Mono- and disaccharides (sugars) - 76.4 g.
Sugar-free apple marshmallow has less calories and is recommended for overweight people. The product contains in large volumes vitamins PP (niacin), C and E (TE), as well as macro- and microelements useful for the human body: Iron (Fe), Magnesium (Mg), Potassium (K) and Phosphorus (P).
The calorie content of sugar-free apple marshmallow per 100 g is 85 kcal, of which
- Proteins - 1 g;
- Fat - 0 g;
- Carbohydrates - 20.3 g;
- Dietary fiber - 0 g;
- Water - 0 g.
The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates: 1: 0: 20.3.
On a note! One piece of marshmallow, made according to a standard recipe, contains 15 g of product.
Useful properties of marshmallow
Many desserts do not contain anything useful for humans, except sugar. But this statement does not apply to marshmallow. Thanks to apples, it contains a lot of nutrients that have a beneficial effect on the body. The mineral components of this product do not evaporate under the influence of elevated temperatures and are fully absorbed by the body.
The benefits of pastille are expressed in the following properties of the product:
- Tones up … The sweet contains a large amount of sugar, which, when it enters the body, is converted into energy. Thanks to this, a person is quickly recharged with strength for a long period of time.
- Optimizes the metabolic process … Many types of marshmallows use honey and contain fruit fiber. These elements are able to normalize digestion and synthetic processes in the body, which contributes to the accelerated breakdown and removal of sugar.
- Removes heavy metals … Pectin, which is part of the product, absorbs not only metals, but also toxins, chemicals remaining in the human body after taking various medications. This, in turn, helps to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
- It has a beneficial effect on the liver, enriches the body with iodine and phosphorus … The product acquires this property thanks to a substance called agar-agar, which is used in many marshmallow recipes and is part of seaweed.
- Helps to strengthen the muscle corset … For this, the pastille contains a large amount of protein.
- Activates thought processes and strengthens the immune system … This property guarantees a large amount of glucose, which has a beneficial effect on the brain and gives new strength to human health to combat negative external factors.
- Cheers up … Like any sweetness, marshmallow promotes the production of serotonin in the body, the so-called hormone of happiness.
Interesting fact! Fruit and berry sweetness is officially recognized as healthy for children. Russian Academy of Medical. Sci. recommends marshmallow to kindergartens and schools.
Contraindications and harm to pastilles
If a person is trying to lose extra pounds, he should refuse to eat marshmallow with sugar - this product has a high calorie content. It is recommended to give preference to sugar-free treats. Today, many companies produce a kind of diet marshmallow according to various recipes.
The product containing sugar is not recommended for diabetics. For them, the harm of marshmallow is obvious - a significant increase in blood sugar levels. Also, regular use of a treat can negatively affect the condition of the tooth enamel.
Modern manufacturers often add chemical additives, flavor stabilizers and unnatural sweeteners to marshmallows. Such a product in especially large quantities can saturate the body not only with tasty fruit paste, but also with harmful toxins. Therefore, before buying this product in a store, carefully read its composition.
Note! A pastille that is too bright in color and has a pungent odor is not natural in most cases. Give preference to products in calmer shades. Homemade marshmallows are considered the most useful.
How to make marshmallow?
Pastila is prepared at home quickly and does not require a lot of money. We present to your attention two of the simplest recipes for this delicacy:
- Apple marshmallow … For the preparation of sweets, it is better to choose slightly sour apples, for example, the Antonovka variety (2 kg). Cut the peeled fruits into 8 pieces each. Bake in the oven for no more than 15 minutes. Grind the apples with a sieve. Add 120 g of sugar to the resulting porridge and beat until smooth, until the apples turn white. Prepare for the fact that the volume of the porridge-like mixture may increase slightly, so it is worth taking a large bowl for whipping in advance. Whisk 2 egg whites and 130 g sugar in a separate bowl. Do not turn off the mixer until steady protein spikes appear in the saucepan. Set aside 4 tbsp. l. whipped egg whites, and add the rest to the grated apples. Put the resulting porridge on parchment paper, spread over a baking sheet. It is better to dry the marshmallow in the oven with the door ajar, for at least 6 hours (7 is possible). Peel the apple cider off the paper as soon as it becomes firm and firm. Cut the marshmallow into 4 pieces and stack the strips on top of each other in several layers. Coat each layer with the set aside proteins. Bake the puff pastry in the oven for another 2 hours. Sprinkle the finished bar with icing sugar. Ready!
- Plum marshmallow … A simpler recipe, the product is prepared much faster than the previous one. Rinse 1 kg of plums, separate the seeds from them and put them in a saucepan. Boil the fruit without water for 1 hour. Cool the cooked plums and rub through a sieve. Cook the finished mashed potatoes for another 2 hours, according to the marshmallow recipe. Remember to stir the fruit mass regularly so that it does not burn. Half an hour before cooking, add 250 g of sugar to the puree. Put the thick porridge on a baking sheet with parchment paper. The plum crust should be as thin as possible. Dry the plums in the oven for at least 15 hours. Cut the finished marshmallow into any pieces and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Some housewives prefer to squeeze various figures out of dried jelly using pastry molds. For long-term storage, the pieces of delicacy should be shifted with parchment paper.
Note to the hostess! It is better to store homemade pastilles in a glass jar with a tightly closed lid. Also, the sweetness can be wrapped in parchment and left right in the kitchen cabinet. Pastila can retain its taste and not deteriorate for 1 year.
Recipes with marshmallow
Every chef should know how to make marshmallow and how to use it as an ingredient in various dishes: in baked goods or cold desserts.
TOP-3 desserts with marshmallow:
- American dessert … Crumble 200 g of cookies (shortbread or baked milk). To do this, you can use a regular crush. Place the mixture in a baking dish. Grate 100 g of chocolate or chop it in a blender and place the shavings on top of the cookies. The third layer of dessert is 200 g of marshmallow (chewing marshmallow). Place the dish with the ingredients in the preheated oven and bake for about 5-6 minutes. Dessert should be removed from the oven as soon as a golden crust appears on the marshmallow.
- Marshmallow cake … Grind 400 g of any cookie. In a separate bowl, mix 200 g of butter with condensed milk (you need the whole jar). Combine the cookies with the resulting creamy mass. Put a layer of marshmallow on a cake dish, spread it with half of the resulting cream and reapply the marshmallow. Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining cream, pieces of candy or cookies. You can also use various types of topping to decorate the dessert. The cake is ready to eat!
- Sour cream dessert with marshmallow … Whip 500 g sour cream (choose the fat content of the product at your discretion). Add chopped marshmallow (300 g) to the half-whipped cream. Then pour 2 tbsp into the resulting mass. l. roasted walnuts. When all the ingredients are beaten until smooth, you can lay out the dessert in portioned bowls. Cool the dessert before serving, garnish with lemon and kiwi wedges, sprinkle with candied fruits.
Interesting facts about marshmallow
Pastila is considered precisely a Russian dessert, because its recipe was first compiled by monks in Kolomna in the 15th century. Then for the marshmallow, as now, apples were used as the main ingredient. For several centuries, the recipe for this delicacy was kept in the strictest secrecy, only a select few knew it.
The product was made in small quantities in a Russian oven. Fruit puree was mixed with honey and egg whites, and then literally spread over cloth sieves. Such sieves were placed in an oven to dry, and they were taken out with a half-finished marshmallow. The fruit strips were then stacked on top of each other and oven dried again. The sweetness turned out to be viscous and very tasty!
Only in the 18th century, enterprising people learned how to make homemade marshmallows and began to make it on an industrial scale. Since then, the product has received the recognition of the Russian people, it began to be sold throughout Russia. After some time, it was sent for export.
In modern France, marshmallow is used as an addition to fine spirits or milkshakes. In their historical homeland, sweetness is eaten with milk, tea or wine. The British prefer to enjoy a treat in a duet with coffee.
In 2009, a museum dedicated to the product was opened in the city where the product was invented. Here you can learn how to make marshmallow, hear many interesting facts from the centuries-old history of delicacies and taste the sweetness prepared according to the original recipe.
How to cook marshmallow - watch the video:
The marshmallow recipe is a gift from the past that humanity has appreciated. The delicacy is a part of many modern pastry desserts, it is found in almost all grocery stores and is easily prepared in your home kitchen. Pastila is rich in vitamins and minerals that are useful for the human body, therefore it is recommended for use by many research laboratories from different parts of the world. At the same time, one should beware of products from unscrupulous companies that introduce chemical additives into the delicacy that have a detrimental effect on human health.
