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Blackcurrant pastille is not only a tasty, but also an incredibly healthy dish. During the drying process, the berries retain all their beneficial vitamins. Sweetened marshmallows can easily replace candy and serve as an original decoration for homemade baked goods.
Beneficial properties of currant marshmallow
During the cooking process, the berries are not exposed to high temperatures, so the marshmallow retains almost all the properties of black currants. The high content of vitamin C helps strengthen the immune system and protect the body during viral diseases. The delicacy cleanses the body well of waste and toxins.
Pastila is a good prevention of diseases associated with the cardiovascular system and kidneys. With regular use, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is normalized. During a flu epidemic, the disinfectant and bactericidal qualities of berries allow you to stay healthy.
Also marshmallows:
- tones;
- dilates blood vessels;
- improves metabolic processes;
- cleanses the blood;
- improves appetite;
- acts as a mild diuretic and diaphoretic.
It is useful for diabetics to consume the dessert in its natural form without adding sweeteners to reduce blood sugar levels. The delicacy is recommended for diseases of the lymph nodes, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, vitamin deficiency, radiation damage and anemia.
Pastila can be added to tea, thereby obtaining a tasty drink that has a general strengthening effect.
Blackcurrant marshmallow recipes
For cooking you will need to select berries. Any size is suitable, the main thing is that the fruits must be ripe. Preference should be given to blackcurrant varieties with thin skins.
For marshmallows, the fruits must be dry and whole, without visible damage. The color choice is plain, deep black. If there are green impurities or inclusions on the currant, it means it is unripe or diseased.
If the aroma contains impurities of foreign odors, then there is a high probability that the berries were transported incorrectly or were treated with chemicals for preservation.
Currant marshmallow in the dryer
The proportions in the recipe are based on a dryer with 15 trays. The pastila will turn out sour. If you want a sweet treat as a result, then the volume of honey should be increased.
Required:
- black currant – 8 kg;
- lard – 100 g;
- flower honey – 1.5 l.
Cooking method:
- Sort out the blackcurrants. Remove all wrinkled and cracked fruits and tails. Pour the berries into a wide bowl. Fill with cold water and rinse. All debris will float to the surface. Carefully drain the liquid and repeat the process 2 times.
- Pour onto a towel. Leave to dry for an hour.
- Transfer to a deep container and beat with a blender.The mass should be homogeneous.
- Grease the trays in the dryer. It is animal fat that will prevent the marshmallow from sticking to the base.
- Divide all the necessary ingredients, except lard, into 15 parts. As a result, pour 530 g of puree into the blender bowl and add 100 ml of honey. Beat, then distribute evenly over the tray. Repeat the process 14 more times, filling the entire dryer.
- Turn on the device. The temperature will be +55°C. The process will take 35 hours. You should periodically change the trays so that the marshmallow dries evenly.
If the amount of honey is increased, the drying process will take longer. Accordingly, if you exclude the sweetener from the composition or reduce its volume, then less time will be required.
Recipe for blackcurrant marshmallows in the oven
The finished dish is moderately sweet. If you sprinkle blackcurrant pastille with powdered sugar, the pieces of the delicacy will not stick together.
Required:
- powdered sugar – 200 g;
- black currant – 500 g;
- fine granulated sugar – 300 g.
Cooking method:
- Sort and wash the berries. Be sure to remove all the branches and dry the blackcurrants on a paper towel. Excess moisture will increase cooking time.
- Beat the fruits with a blender. Put on the fire and cook for several minutes without letting it boil. The mass should become hot.
- Pass through a sieve. This procedure will help make the puree smooth and tender.
- Add sugar. Mix. Cook the mixture until it becomes thick sour cream.
- Remove from heat. When the puree has cooled completely, beat with a mixer. The mass will increase in volume and become lighter.
- Spread parchment paper on a baking sheet.Coat with any oil using a silicone brush and lay out the currants in a layer that should not exceed half a centimeter.
- Place in the oven. Set the temperature to 70°C.
- After 6 hours, cut the workpiece into rectangles and continue drying.
- When the delicacy does not stick to your hands and begins to spring back when pressed, you can remove it from the oven.
- Dust the rectangles with powdered sugar on each side.
Recipe for homemade currant marshmallow without sugar
Most often, a sweetener is added to the marshmallow, but you can prepare a natural delicacy that has a pleasant sour taste. It is ideal for people on a diet.
You can use any amount of black berries for cooking.
Cooking process:
- First you need to sort and wash the fruits. Then beat with a blender until smooth. Put on fire.
- Simmer over low heat until the mixture becomes thick. Pass through a sieve.
- Beat with a mixer until the mixture becomes lighter and increases in volume.
- Place in an even layer on a baking sheet previously lined with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 180° C, then lower the temperature to 100° C. Place a baking sheet with currant puree. Cook for at least 6 hours. The door must be ajar at all times.
- Cut into rectangles and roll. Wrap the finished rolls in cling film.
What else can you add to currant marshmallow?
Currant marshmallow can be prepared at home with the addition of various components. Chopped nuts, citrus zest, coriander and ginger will help diversify the recipe.
Black currant goes well with all fruits and berries. It is often combined with red currants, apples, grapes and even zucchini. If you put other fruit puree in the form of streaks on the berry mass, the appearance of the finished dish will become much more appetizing.
A banana will help make the currant marshmallow more tender and soft. Add it in a 1:1 ratio. Banana pulp lacks coarse veins and seeds, so the delicacy will acquire a natural sweetness. It is not recommended to add sugar and honey to this marshmallow.
A mixture of grape and apple pulp added to black currants will fill the marshmallow with an incredible aroma and plasticity.
To add more sweetness, do not add a lot of sugar. Its excess will make the structure heterogeneous due to the formation of crystals and hard. It is better to add honey for sweetness. Rapeseed is ideal. Acacia honey should not be used. This variety will not allow the marshmallow to harden.
Calorie content
Blackcurrant pastille, prepared at home, has different calorie content. It depends on the amount of sweetener used. 100 g of marshmallow with added honey contains 88 kcal, with sugar – 176 kcal, in its pure form – 44 kcal.
Terms and conditions of storage
After cooking, you need to fold the treat correctly to increase shelf life. It is recommended to cut each layer into rectangles and twist them into tubes. Wrap each individually in cling film. This will prevent the pieces from sticking together. Place in a glass jar and close with a lid. With this preparation, the marshmallow retains its properties for a year.
If you seal with vacuum lids, the shelf life will increase to 2 years.Store in the refrigerator or in the basement.
Also, the berry preparation can be frozen after being packaged in an airtight container. When warm, it quickly becomes sticky and soft.
Conclusion
Blackcurrant pastille is a universal dish. Cut into slices, it serves as an excellent treat for tea. It is used as a layer and decoration for cakes, and added to ice cream instead of jam. Sauces for meat are prepared on the basis of sour marshmallow, and delicious marinades are obtained from the soaked delicacy. Therefore, during the preparation process, you should make part of the marshmallow sweet and the other sour.
