In the old days they said that cutting viburnum was a great sin. You can only pick its fruits and flowers, take a few thin branches for treatment or spells. It was also believed that viburnum could comfort an offended woman - you just need to hug a tree or bush, cry, talk about hardships, and it will immediately feel better.
Be that as it may, viburnum has earned a reverent attitude towards itself - it decorates, heals, and produces berries from which you can make sweets, sauces, compotes, wines, liqueurs. This plant can be called both medicinal and fruit. Let’s not argue which is correct, just let’s find out how to prepare delicious, healthy sweet preparations from viburnum with sugar for the winter without cooking.
The benefits of viburnum
Everyone knows that viburnum berries are very healthy, they contain many vitamins and various useful elements. For example, it contains as much as 70% more vitamin C than lemons. All parts of the plant have beneficial properties:
- the roots are most often used for insomnia, hysteria, rheumatism;
- leaves – for skin diseases, as a hemostatic and immune strengthening agent;
- the bark stops severe bleeding, treats periodontal disease, relieves spasms;
- flowers reduce temperature, are a fast-acting remedy for allergies, restore voice, relieve hoarseness;
- The seeds have a strong antioxidant, diaphoretic, anti-sclerotic agent, remove toxins from the body, and remove sand or small pebbles from the gallbladder and kidneys.
Although you can make many delicious sweets from viburnum, it is not recommended to abuse them - the same vital vitamin C, in case of an overdose, will first cause itching, then a rash will appear. Treat viburnum as a pleasant and healthy addition to your diet, and not as a staple food—enjoy it, but don’t overuse it.
Viburnum preparations without cooking
Prepared viburnum for the winter without cooking retains almost all its beneficial properties and is especially tasty. But not everyone likes the characteristic bitterness. To reduce it, the berries are picked after the first frost. But there are people who simply adore the bitter taste. We inform you especially for them that viburnum usually reaches ripeness already in September. It can be safely torn off and recycled.
Most often, viburnum umbrellas are cut off, tied in bunches and hung out to dry. Then, to cure a cold or simply drink vitamin tea, the berries are brewed with boiling water, flavored with honey or sugar and enjoyed with an incomparable taste and aroma. But dry viburnum can become dusty, and you don’t always want to wait for it to soften or brew.
Meanwhile, you can prepare many healthy and tasty things from it.Of course, if you cook jam, some of the healing substances will evaporate. In order to preserve them as much as possible, we recommend preparing viburnum without cooking.
Viburnum sprinkled with sugar
This is the easiest recipe for viburnum with sugar without cooking. Perhaps it is used by everyone who prepares berries for the winter. To do this, you need equal volumes of sugar and viburnum, as well as a clean jar.
Sort the berries, rinse, and dry with a paper towel. You can simply scatter them on a clean, dry cloth in a thin layer. Place 1-1.5 cm of granulated sugar on the bottom of the jar, and the same layer of berries on top. To ensure there are no voids left, lightly tap the container on the table. Then add layers of sugar and berries again.
Continue until the jar is completely filled. There should be a layer of sugar on top. If it’s not enough, you can safely add it – it won’t make it worse. Tap the jar on the table one last time, add sugar so that all the berries are completely covered, close with a nylon lid, and hide in the refrigerator.
Viburnum, ground with sugar
This is not one, but two recipes. To prepare them you will need the same amount of sugar and viburnum.
Method 1
Pour boiling water over the berries for 2 minutes, pour out the water, and strain through a colander or sieve. Mix viburnum with granulated sugar, place in jars, and cover with lids. Place in a warm place for a few days to allow the sugar to melt, then put it in the refrigerator.
Method 2
If you do not remove the seeds, the viburnum will have a bitter, rich taste and will contain more useful substances. Some people really like it.
Add sugar to the berries and puree in a blender.Place in jars, let it brew, put in the refrigerator.
Raw viburnum jelly
This jelly is very tasty and healthy, as it is prepared without cooking. It hardens thanks to the pectins contained in viburnum. To prepare it you need equal volumes of berries and sugar.
Pour boiling water over the fruits and squeeze out the juice. Add sugar, stir, place in a warm place. Stir the contents of the container thoroughly from time to time. When the sugar has completely melted, pour the jelly into jars and place in the refrigerator.
It will harden in less than a day. Cover the necks of the jars with parchment paper folded in half and tie. Jelly can be stored in the refrigerator, cellar, basement, at room temperature - anywhere, just not in the sun, otherwise the workpiece will lose its bright color and become ugly.
Raw viburnum jam with oranges
This recipe for jam without cooking can again be prepared in two ways - with or without sugar. Decide whether your household likes the bitterness of viburnum before you start stocking up.
Advice! To understand whether you like the taste of seeds, trying them once is not enough. For two days, 3 times a day, thoroughly chew a whole viburnum berry. The first time you want to spit it out. If by the end of the second day you have not fallen in love with this taste, you can immediately prepare seedless supplies in the future.
For 1 kg of viburnum you need the same amount of sugar and 0.5 kg of oranges.
Chop the berries, with or without seeds.Peel the oranges and puree with a blender. Combine the fruits, add sugar, stir thoroughly. Pack into sterile dry jars, cover with lids, and put in the refrigerator.
Candied viburnum berries
For 1 kg of berries you need 2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 protein.
Wash the viburnum, but do not dry it. Beat the egg whites with 1 cup of powdered sugar. First roll the viburnum with this mixture and then in crushed sugar crystals. Immediately place the balls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or tray. Place in a dry, warm room for 1-2 days. Place the candies in sterile jars, cover with lids, and store in a cool place.
Chocolate candied viburnum berries
If you add cocoa to powdered sugar, you will get completely different candies. Depending on the desired result, add 1-3 tbsp to 2 cups of crushed sugar. spoons of chocolate powder.
Otherwise, preparing candied fruits is no different from the method described in the previous recipe.
Viburnum berries in powdered sugar
For this recipe, take 1 kg of viburnum, 1 cup of powdered sugar and 5 g of starch.
Rinse the berries, but do not dry them. Mix granulated sugar thoroughly with starch.
Roll the viburnum in the sweet mixture and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Leave at normal temperature for 15 hours.
Scatter the berries into dry jars, close the lids, and store in a cool place.
Surrogate coffee from viburnum seeds
Although our article is devoted to viburnum prepared for the winter with sugar without heat treatment, we cannot ignore the production waste - the seeds.
Let this simple recipe be a bonus.
Rinse the seeds and dry well. Roast in the oven, grind with a coffee grinder.Store in a closed container. This is an excellent surrogate coffee with many beneficial properties.
Conclusion
By preparing viburnum with sugar without cooking, you will retain maximum nutrients and get a tasty winter preparation. Bon appetit!
