Lingonberry marshmallow

Perhaps the most useful preparation for the winter is dried lingonberries. After all, this wild berry, growing in hard-to-reach swampy places, has a large supply of vitamins, microelements, and even a natural antiseptic. It is during drying that the maximum amount of nutrients is retained in lingonberries.

You can dry both whole fruits and berry puree. In the first case, you get an excellent preparation for making medicinal tea or decoction. The second contains an ancient Russian dish, pastila, which can be a healthy alternative to sweets.

Lingonberry marshmallow is good because it can be stored for a very long time without any difficult conditions. This dried dessert can be made with just one ingredient, or you can choose a more complex recipe.

The slight bitterness and sourness of the not too sweet berry in the sugar-free marshmallow recipe will be appreciated by people who are indifferent to sweets.And those with a sweet tooth will most likely like versions of this dish with sugar or honey. Among the lingonberry marshmallow recipes given in this article, everyone can choose an option to suit their taste.

Beneficial properties of dried lingonberries

For a long time, lingonberries have been used to treat many diseases. This plant contains beneficial properties from both the berries and the leaves.

Beneficial properties of dried lingonberries:

• thanks to their unique composition, they support the activity of the cardiovascular system (lingonberries contain a lot of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium, magnesium and chromium);
• can be used as a natural antiseptic for sore throats, colds, inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract (lingonberries contain a natural antiseptic - benzoic acid);
• the diuretic property of the fruit also helps to successfully restore the functioning of the urinary system, fight gout, rheumatism;
• tannins contained in dry lingonberries help remove harmful substances from the body;
• the copper present in it has a positive effect on the body in case of problems with the pancreas and hypertension;
• catechins, pectins, organic acids help improve digestion, increasing acidity in the stomach and stimulating the production of digestive enzymes (therefore, dried lingonberries are useful for chronic pancreatitis, gastritis with low acidity);
• In addition, a fruit drink made from this berry helps quench thirst, relieve intoxication, and improve immunity.

We must remember that despite the abundance of beneficial properties of dried lingonberries, there are also contraindications to its use.

Calorie content of dried lingonberries

The nutritional value of lingonberries is difficult to overestimate. It is a storehouse of vitamins, microelements, amino acids, dietary fiber and proper carbohydrates.

The energy value of the bog native is low, so it is considered a dietary product.

100 g of dried product contains:

• 314 kcal (15.4% daily value);
• carbohydrates – 80.2 g (35.8% of the daily value);
• fat – 1 g;
• proteins – 0.3 g;
• dietary fiber – 2.5 g (23% daily value);
• water – 16 g.

How to dry lingonberries at home

Lingonberry is one of the abundantly fruiting plants, the fruits of which are harvested in large quantities from August to September. Unfortunately, this berry quickly deteriorates (crumples, rots), so it is necessary to preserve the harvest by preparing a source of nutrients for the winter.

To do this, you need to sort out the collected lingonberries, separating leaves, moss, small twigs and other debris from them, and at the same time removing spoiled berries. And then you can start preparing it in one of many ways (soak in water, make jam or marmalade, rub with sugar, cook compote, dry, etc.).

The greatest amount of useful substances will be preserved in soaked and dried lingonberries. To soak, just rinse the fruits, fill a container with them and fill them with clean water. This preparation will be stored at room temperature until the next harvest. Drying lingonberries will require a lot of effort, but the result will be a product that can be stored for years. In addition, during the drying process, you can prepare a dietary alternative to sweets - marshmallows.

To dry lingonberries you will need an oven or an electric appliance.

How to dry lingonberries in the oven

To prepare dried lingonberries in the oven, you need to preheat it to a temperature of 60 °C. The berries are laid out on a baking sheet in a thin layer (preferably in one).

For convenience, the drying process can be presented step by step:

1. Sort the fruits, wash, dry and place on a baking sheet.
2. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.
3. Dry until completely dehydrated (3-4 hours).
4. Place the dried product in jars (it is better if they are glass) and close with nylon lids.

How to dry lingonberries in a dryer

It is more convenient to cook lingonberries in an electric dryer (there is no need to control the process or mix the product). However, the process will take longer. If you dry at a temperature of 60 ° C, then delicate fruits may burst, so experienced housewives advise setting the electric dryer to a lower temperature (40–55 ° C). To prevent small berries from falling through and getting crushed in the holes of the grill, you can cover it with gauze.

Main stages of drying:

1. Sort out the lingonberries, wash and dry.
2. Pour onto the dryer rack in a single layer.
3. Dry until completely dry.
4. Pour the dried fruits into a jar and cover with a nylon lid.

The cooking time for lingonberries in an electric dryer depends on the set temperature. At 60 °C it will be approximately 12 hours, at 40 °C - up to 16. It is safer to dry at a lower temperature.

Use of dry lingonberry

Dried lingonberries are used both for medicinal purposes and as a food product.In addition to the healing properties already listed, it increases appetite and gives strength to the body.

Teas and decoctions are prepared for treatment, but dried fruits are used more widely in cooking:

• added to yoghurts, muesli and ice cream;
• when baking (add to pancakes, pies);
• when preparing sauces;
• compotes are made from it;
• coated with glaze or simply rolled in powdered sugar (you get healthy candies).

Rules for storing dried lingonberries

To store dried berries, it is better to use glass jars or clay vessels covered with a lid. Shelf life - from 6 to 12 months (until the next fruiting season).

If you grind dried fruits into powder, the jars need to be sealed very tightly. Such a product can be stored for 5 years or even more.

Lingonberry marshmallow at home

You can dry not only whole berries, but also lingonberry puree. The result is a very tasty, long-known dried delicacy - marshmallow. To prepare lingonberry marshmallow, you need to prepare a puree of berries, and then dry it using one of the available methods.

There are two main ways to prepare lingonberry puree:

1. From fresh berries. Grind the lingonberries with a blender until a homogeneous mass is obtained (you can strain the puree for a better consistency).
2. From pre-steamed fruits, you can simmer lingonberries in a pot or cauldron under a lid (to do this, place the container in an oven heated to 70–80 °C and leave for 3 hours). Or blanch in a saucepan for 10 minutes (per 1 kg of fruit - 1 tbsp. water), stirring constantly until the berries release juice.

Steamed berries are also crushed in a blender and filtered.

General principles for preparing lingonberry marshmallows

Pastila can be prepared with the addition of various ingredients, but the principle of preparation is the same in all cases.

The technology for producing marshmallows comes down to three stages:

1. Making puree (using one of the methods described above).
2. Boil the mixture (to the consistency of liquid sour cream).
3. Preparing lingonberry marshmallows in the dryer (in the oven on parchment, at a temperature of 80 ° C, the process may take 2–6 hours, which depends on the thickness of the layer, in an electric appliance - a little longer).

The dried marshmallow will easily separate from the parchment paper. When ready, it can be cut into pieces, sprinkled with powdered sugar and placed in a storage container.

Making lingonberry marshmallows in a dehydrator is a fairly simple process, although it does require time.

Lingonberry marshmallow without sugar

This recipe is the simplest. All you need is lingonberries. Preparation steps:

1. The puree can be prepared in any way, but more beneficial properties will be preserved when using the option without thermal effects on the fruit.
2. Place the resulting mass on a baking sheet (layer thickness should not exceed 3 mm) and place in the oven for 2 hours.
3. Place another one on the dry layer and send it to dry again (you should get 4-5 layers in total, but you can do less).
4. Cut the finished marshmallow into slices and store in a dry, dark place.

Lingonberry marshmallow with honey

Lingonberry marshmallow with the addition of honey has a pleasant taste and aroma, and also carries the beneficial properties of forest berries and flower nectar. For 1 kg of lingonberries take approximately 400 g of honey.

Cooking steps:

1. Lingonberry puree is boiled down a little, then allowed to cool.
2. Combine the berry mass with honey and mix thoroughly until smooth (you can beat it).
3. Dry the resulting mixture as usual, in thin layers.
4. The finished marshmallow is cut into pieces and stored in a dry, dark place.

To prepare this marshmallow, rapeseed honey is usually used, which crystallizes better.

Recipe for lingonberry marshmallows with sugar

Lingonberry pastille with sugar will replace candy for those with a sweet tooth, and it is much healthier. For 1 kg of berries you will need 200 g of granulated sugar.

Step by step recipe:

1. Add sugar to the finished puree, stirring the mixture constantly.
2. When the sugar crystals are completely dissolved, the mass is boiled until thickened.
3. Next, dry using one of the standard methods.
4. The finished marshmallow is cut into beautifully shaped pieces and packaged for storage.

Lingonberry and apple pastille

The most popular fruits for making marshmallows are apples. The puree from them is well beaten, and the lingonberry marshmallow with the addition of apple becomes airy.

To prepare this delicacy you take:

• apples – 6 pcs.;
• lingonberries - 4 tbsp.;
• granulated sugar – 1.5 tbsp.

Cooking process:

1. Lingonberries and apples, peeled and cored, are steamed together and ground into puree.
2. Add sugar and stir the mixture until it is completely dissolved and beat.
3. To dry, spread the mass in a thin layer (3–4 mm) and send it to the dehydrator until completely dry, then repeat the process, increasing from 3 to 5 layers (you can make the pastille single-layer, then it is not cut, but simply rolled into a roll).
4. The dried product is cut into cubes and placed in a container.

Antonovka pastila does not require boiling and turns out especially tasty.

Delicious lingonberry pastille with blueberries

Lingonberries and blueberries often coexist in the forest, and the combination of the bitterness of the former and the tart sweetness of the latter is very successful.

To prepare pastille you will need:

• 1 kg of lingonberries;
• 0.5 kg blueberries;
• 300 g sugar.

Cooking process:

1. Mix the berry puree with granulated sugar and stir until the crystals are completely dissolved.
2. Beat the mixture in a blender until thick.
3. The homogeneous mass is spread on a tray in a thin layer, dried, and the process is repeated, increasing the layers.
4. The finished dried sweet is cut into pieces and placed in storage containers.

Rules for storing lingonberry marshmallows

The marshmallow can be stored as a whole sheet (for convenience, it is rolled into a roll and tied with twine). But it’s more convenient to pack sweets cut into pieces.

For the best option, it is better to place the dried preparation in a glass container and store it in the refrigerator. If there is a lot of marshmallow and it is expected to be stored for a long time, then the product is placed in a sealed bag and frozen.

Conclusion

Among all the healthy products that boost immunity and improve health, it is difficult to find a more delicious one than dried lingonberries. The wide range of uses of this berry in cooking makes it increasingly popular. It is safe to say that regular consumption of dried lingonberries is the path to health and longevity.

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