One of the popular domestic desserts, which is equally loved and healthy for both adults and children, is pastila. This product was first prepared in the 14th century in Kolomna according to a recipe that was kept in the strictest confidence. The creators of the delicacy were monks, who at that time managed to miraculously turn them into sweet clouds.
Only in the 18th century, when marshmallows began to be produced in merchant production, the product became available to all residents of Rus'. Today, the dessert is distinguished by its ease of preparation, simplicity of ingredients and incredible health benefits, which are preserved due to the composition and lack of high-temperature heat treatment of this sweetness.
Composition, benefits and calorie content of dessert
Pastila has not only an incredible taste compared to other desserts, but also great benefits. The fact is that preparing the delicacy involves baking or drying it, which helps preserve all the beneficial substances in the dessert - vitamins, minerals contained in fruits and berries.
Most desserts have in their formula only one substance useful to the human body - but marshmallow is different in that it contains a lot chemical elements, without which normal functioning of the human body is impossible.
An apple, the basis of a classic marshmallow, is one of the most essential fruits for health. Apples and their derivatives, including the above-mentioned dessert, are rich in dietary fiber, as well as, and. Eating apples and products made from them, including apple marshmallows, is extremely important for people suffering from disorders of the cardiovascular system, metabolism, and anemia. By adding puree from other berries and fruits to applesauce when making this dessert, you can add other beneficial substances that are necessary for a particular body to the sweet composition.
Fruit purees in the marshmallow base have increased tonic properties for the human body. Sugar from fruits promotes energy production and increased muscle activity much faster than any other. , which is also added to sweets, perfectly increases metabolism, normalizes energetic and synthetic processes, and promotes the rapid elimination of incoming sugar into the blood.
The fiber contained in marshmallows thanks to the same fruit helps cleanse the body of toxins, improves digestive processes, normalizes intestinal motility, slows down absorption and acts as protection for the body’s cardiovascular system.
Some substances with a gelling effect during industrial production may also be included in the marshmallow. As a rule, this is agar-agar and. Agar-agar is a product extracted from sea salts rich in iodine and phosphorus. These substances are especially valuable for the human thyroid gland, but their benefits are noticeable and, if necessary, stabilize liver function. With the help of pectin, it becomes possible to cleanse the human body systems of heavy metals, pharmacological drugs and toxic substances. Pectin restores the body’s protective functions against harmful substances that come from outside, and also has a beneficial effect on the human gastrointestinal tract.
The marshmallow contains a huge proportion of protein, known for its properties of acting as building material for human muscle tissue. But the most valuable thing is the fact that this dessert serves as a source of valuable vitamins for humans - either niacin equivalent or riboflavin.
Due to the presence of a huge proportion of sugar in its composition, marshmallow is a high-calorie food product. The dessert contains about 320 kilocalories per 100 grams of the finished product.
Harmful properties of treats
As noted above, marshmallows are a source of large amounts of sugar for the human body. This fact indicates that many people need to be especially careful when eating marshmallows, since such a composition can provoke aggravation of obesity or diabetes mellitus. In addition, a huge proportion of sugar in marshmallows will definitely negatively affect tooth enamel, causing caries.
Modern methods for preparing this dessert include the use of all kinds of sugar syrups, as well as dyes and preservatives, which can neutralize absolutely all the beneficial qualities of the sweetness and lead to poisoning and allergic reactions.
Homemade dessert
At home, you can prepare marshmallows not only from berries or fruits, but also from vegetables. Vegetable marshmallows are very useful; they can be consumed by those people for whom sugar in food is contraindicated, for example, diabetics, or those who want to lose weight. The whole homemade marshmallow recipe boils down to chopping berries, vegetables or fruits in a blender, mixing them with honey and placing them on a pre-greased baking sheet to dry.
However, it is important to remember a few important points when preparing dessert:
- When using natural honey and not sugar syrup, the marshmallow should be dried at a temperature no higher than 45 degrees.
- Honey must be taken that does not have a pronounced aroma and is well capable of crystallizing. So, for example, buckwheat honey is not suitable for marshmallows because the aroma is too pronounced, which can overwhelm all the aromas of the fruit, and acacia honey is not suitable because the texture is too liquid and does not dry well. Rapeseed honey is ideal for homemade marshmallows.
- The fat for lubricating the mold where the marshmallow will be dried must be chosen without a distinct odor, otherwise it will overwhelm all the flavors of the dessert base.
- Vegetables and fruits for marshmallows can be divided into fragile and viscous. Fragile vegetables or fruits dry out too quickly, so the treat rarely turns out to be the consistency it should be. But viscous ones, on the contrary, take too long to dry and may not hold their shape.
- To get a delicious marshmallow, you need to correctly combine viscous and fragile vegetables and fruits in one recipe, then the dessert will turn out to be the most delicious.
- There is no need to add honey or sugar syrup to the tomato marshmallow; just blend the peeled tomatoes in a blender and put them out to dry.
Learn to cook delicious and healthy marshmallow not difficult at all. If necessary, such a dessert can be given to both a child and a person who consumes sugar on a limited basis, because when preparing it at home, you can independently vary the amount of sweet added to the product, thereby increasing its usefulness, and sometimes enhancing the pleasant taste.
The favorite delicacy of all those with a sweet tooth is marshmallows. Even nutritionists approve of the composition of such sweets. This product has been familiar to everyone since childhood. Over the years, the method of preparation and taste of marshmallow has changed, but the love of children and adults for it has not faded. But is this product as safe today as it was in the old days?
Product history
Pastila has been known to people since the 16th century and is an ancient Russian delicacy. Back then it was made from applesauce and ground berries. The apples were not chosen from sweet varieties, but rather from sour varieties, since they were best combined with the second ingredient - honey. It acted as the main sweetener and gave the product its shape. Closer to the 20th century, honey was replaced by a more affordable option - sugar, and to make the marshmallow more sticky they began to add egg white, which colored the product in white.
How was marshmallow prepared in Ancient Rus'?
In those days, marshmallows were baked on the stove. The preparation process was quite long: the prepared mixture was spread in a thin layer on a cloth and placed on a still warm stove. When the layer hardened, a new mixture was poured onto it, and this continued until more than five layers were reached. All the cakes were held together with honey. Slowly lowering the oven temperature made the marshmallow sticky and soft, so the delicacy was left there until completely dry, for about three days.
Kolomenskaya pastila
White marshmallow from Kolomna is a miracle that was solved only after three centuries. This is the first popular marshmallow to be sold. Appearing on market shelves, the apple delicacy conquered the world and gave rise to many legends about how monks from Kolomna turn apples into airy clouds and make white marshmallow from them. What secret did Kolomna marshmallow hide? The composition of the product was so simple that it’s surprising how people didn’t guess it right away? In fact, the answer lies on the surface - egg whites were added to it. Empress Catherine II herself loved this delicacy. Nowadays, the Kolomna Plant has resumed production of the historical product. Those with a sweet tooth can even treat themselves to marshmallows in retro packaging, which are sold at the Kolomna Museum.
Belyovskaya marshmallow - the best dietary treat
IN late XIX century, merchant Ambrose Prokhorov created a unique product that not only won the love of the Russian people, but found a response among the sweet tooth of England, France, Holland and Italy. The royals also liked sugar-free marshmallows. The composition of the product captivates with its naturalness: applesauce and egg white. On modern market Belyovskaya sweetness classic recipe- a unique product with a long history. This pastille is a dietary product and is perfect for both diabetics and people losing weight. Energy value is only 52 kcal per 100 g of product.
Modern marshmallow: composition, calorie content, types
Nowadays, centuries-old recipes have changed a little. Modern viscous sweetness is not a competitor to its ancestor, since many components have been replaced by more cheap options. You can find many types of marshmallows on store shelves. They also differ in composition:
- adhesive - with the addition of gelatin, agar-agar or pectin, for viscosity;
- glue-free - the composition does not contain any artificial stabilizers;
- custard - with the addition of marmalade mass.
By appearance:
- air bars;
- custard layers;
- fruit rolls.
Fruit pastille
Twisted rolls with a wide variety of flavors (cherry, apple, plum and currant) look a little like the pastila that was cooked in Russian ovens. But if earlier this product was made only from natural ingredients, now the recipe has changed, as has the fruit marshmallow itself. The composition of this delicacy no longer seems so safe: instead of honey, gelatin, flour, sugar or agar-agar are added, and the berry mixture is diluted with dyes and flavors, which obviously will not benefit the human body. Even in the most seemingly natural composition there is a place for one of these products. Such sweetness clearly should not be a frequent guest on the table of a person who cares about his health and figure. Moreover, it is worth considering that the calorie content of industrial fruit marshmallows is more than 250 kcal per 100 grams.
Pastille "Sharmel"
The most natural composition has the “Sharmel” pastille, which is more like marshmallow. In it, as in original recipe, the main ingredients are fruits or berries and sugar. To these two ingredients are added agar-agar for a gelatin effect, molasses, dried egg whites and acidity regulators, which include lactic acid, sodium citrate and flavorings. The last component clearly does not inspire much confidence on the part of the consumer. Nevertheless, those with a sweet tooth will love the soft and airy delicacy from the Udarnitsa company - Charmel pastille.
The composition is not the only thing worth paying attention to. Usually marshmallows are a salvation during diets for those people who watch their figure. But this product does not belong to them, since the calorie content per 100 g reaches 320 kcal. If a person is not worried about blood sugar levels and weight, then you can overeat on Charmel marshmallows as much as you like.
How to distinguish a good marshmallow?
The reality is that buyer should always be careful when purchasing a treat like marshmallows. The composition is the first thing you should pay attention to. The naturalness of the components is supported by a short shelf life, which should not exceed three months. High-quality marshmallows are distinguished by:
- dryness;
- dullness;
- no cracks;
- slightly sour taste (not cloying).
The bright color of the delicacy indicates an obvious overuse of dyes, so you should give preference to marshmallows with more natural shades.
How to make pastila yourself? Homemade recipe
Despite the fact that pastille according to an ancient recipe is quite difficult to find in modern stores, anyone can prepare it with their own hands. For this you will need:
- A saucepan that holds a large volume and has a thick bottom.
- Sieve with large holes.
- Baking tray.
- Parchment paper for baking in the oven.
- Free time of 6 hours.
Ingredients:
- Apples (green).
- Sugar (easily replaced with honey).
Cooking method:
To make the applesauce smooth, simmer the fruits cut into small slices for 10 minutes in a saucepan with a small amount of water over low heat. The resulting slurry is then rubbed through a sieve. Without waiting for the applesauce to cool, add sugar (300 g) or honey. The ingredients are mixed and laid out in a thin layer (no more than 1 cm) on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. It needs to be placed in an oven preheated to 70 degrees and left there for 6-7 hours. To make the marshmallow soft and sticky, the door oven It is better to open it slightly or turn on the fan mode.
The recipe is basic, but everyone can add something different to it: egg whites, berry juices and honey. The final composition of the marshmallow is determined by a person’s taste preferences.
This is how you can easily prepare your own homemade delicacy according to a recipe from the Russian people. Homemade marshmallow, the composition of which the person controls himself, is an excellent choice for those who monitor their health. After all, it is a whole storehouse of vitamins and minerals without any harmful additives.
Pastila is a special product that is an original Russian delicacy. This is the only sweet that, if you follow the composition, benefits the body and saves you during a diet. In today's market huge selection marshmallows from different manufacturers, so the consumer must be extremely careful when choosing a product. This is the only way to enjoy the sweet taste without harm to health.
Have you ever wondered how many people around you have a sweet tooth? Confectionery products give us a feeling of satisfaction and joy. After all, the excess sugar content in our favorite dessert responds with lightning speed in the body in the form of the release of the joy hormone. Sugar is necessary for the body to improve brain function, increase physical endurance, and, of course, to lift your mood. But its increased content in the blood carries negative consequences for health, which are known to many. The same cannot be said about such a delicacy as marshmallows.
This product deserves special attention, due to its naturalness and moderate content nutrients. Today, using the example of Sharmel pastille from the Udarnitsa confectionery plant, we will consider what is special about this product and what is its energy value.
Where and how to use marshmallow
Thanks to its delicate structure and delicate aroma, this dessert has won the hearts of many sweet tooths around the world. Pastila can be used as an independent dessert for tea or coffee. Confectioners have made great strides forward, using all kinds of techniques and products in their preparation. This is how our pastille became a favorite ingredient in the culinary creativity of confectioners. Thanks to its classic taste, chefs use Charmel as a decoration for a cake or use it as a key component of their sweet masterpiece.
Useful properties of marshmallows
Pastila was first made back in the 14th century, and its composition was simple. It included the following products: applesauce, berry pulp, honey and egg white. All this was thoroughly mixed and cooled. Over time, the composition of the dessert changed, and new components began to be added to it - agar-agar and pectin. These components gave the marshmallow the consistency we know today.
Agar-agar is obtained from seaweed, which are rich in iodine, calcium, iron, phosphorus. When this product is used in the Charmel pastille, it retains its valuable properties for the body, which means that it will have a beneficial effect on human health. In addition, agar-agar helps normalize liver function, freeing it from toxins. And healthy dietary fiber stimulates the activity of the large intestine.
Composition of marshmallow "Sharmel"
As we wrote earlier, “Sharmel” from the Udarnitsa confectionery factory corresponds to the classic recipe and is as close to natural as possible. It contains ingredients such as applesauce, granulated sugar, molasses, powdered sugar, agar agar, lactic acid and sodium citrate (to regulate acidity), apple powder and flavoring. This is all. Please note that no dyes or soy components are present in it, which indicates the naturalness of the product. This is supported by the shelf life - only 60 days.
Energy value of marshmallow "Sharmel"
Pastila is a medium-calorie product, unlike other confectionery products. Charmel pastille is sold in a small package, it contains only 10 sticks with a total weight of 221 grams. Accordingly, each block weighs 22 grams. Even the most inveterate sweet tooth will hardly be able to eat the entire package of Charmel pastilles. Therefore, after eating a certain amount of marshmallows, we will know how many kilocalories we consumed.
So, on the packaging it is indicated that the calorie content of Charmel marshmallows in 100 grams is 320 kilocalories. Knowing this and how much 1 block weighs, we can calculate energy value amount of marshmallow eaten. Let's apply a simple mathematical formula: (22/100)*320. Thus, we come to the following conclusion - calorie content of 1 piece. Charmel pastilles only 70.4 kilocalories.
The cost of one package of treats from this brand ranges from 80 to 100 rubles.
Pastila as a means for weight loss
If you stick strict diet, then strictly follow your doctor's nutritional recommendations. Our body is designed in such a way that without sweets we have a hard time; some people even experience depression. Therefore, marshmallows can significantly ease the hardships of a diet regimen and fill the body with useful microelements and energize.
It is known that in the morning hours a person’s metabolic processes work at an accelerated rate. Therefore, eating sweets is possible in this time interval and in small quantities. Nutritionists advise sticking to eating dessert in quantities of up to 50 grams, which means that 2 sticks of Charmel marshmallows will not cause damage to your figure.
Not only the quantity of dessert is important, but also its combination with foods. Fatty foods or rich in proteins along with marshmallows will slow down the metabolism in the body, which means it will contribute to unwanted fat deposits. But fruits and some types of cereals will be excellent companions to your favorite delicacy.
But in fact there are historical facts, proving that this delicacy has Russian origin. Many historians believe that the birthplace of marshmallow is the city of Kolomna, where it was invented in the 14th century; later mentions of it are found in chronicles of the 15th century. In the 18th century, delicacies made by Russian craftsmen were even sent to European countries.
Original Russian pastila
Applesauce was used to prepare Russian pastila.Historically, this delicacy included only two components: fruit or berry puree, and the chosen ones were sour ones, berries and honey. Sometimes beaten egg white was added to the marshmallow, which gave it a white color, thanks to which the consistency of the delicacy became less dense. Later, honey began to be completely or partially replaced with sugar.
A mixture of fruit and berry puree, honey and protein was applied in a thin layer onto a thick cloth stretched over wooden frames, and was placed in a Russian oven for drying. As a result of drying, dense thin layers of marshmallow were obtained, which were superimposed on each other and, in this form, were dried in wooden boxes. Until the 20th century, this sweet dish was called “postila”, from the word “postlano” (spread out).
The finished layers of marshmallow were cut into pieces of various shapes or rolled into rolls.
Modern marshmallow
Nowadays this delicacy, made according to old Russian recipes, is quite difficult to find. In Soviet times, a version of custard marshmallow was made, reminiscent of marshmallows in appearance and consistency. Today in almost every store you can find just such a marshmallow in the form of white or tinted bars with different flavors, which has very little in common with the original Russian delicacy.
It contains sugar and powdered sugar, applesauce, a gelling agent (most often agar), egg powder, citric acid, various flavors. The shelf life of this delicacy usually does not exceed two months, otherwise we can say that preservatives have been added to it.
Useful properties of marshmallows
Of course, the traditional delicacy is much healthier than the modern one, since it is prepared from cranberry, currant, rowan or apple puree, which are rich in vitamins and minerals. It is especially rich in ascorbic acid, which is necessary to strengthen the immune system. Cranberry marshmallow is highly valued, as it contains not only vitamin C, but also substances with antibacterial properties. Making such a delicacy has long been one of the ways to preserve fruits and berries for the long winter.
Honey, which is part of this sweet dish, is also beneficial for the body, it contains more than a dozen useful vitamins and microelements. That is why traditional marshmallows can certainly be considered a delicacy that is not only tasty, but also healthy.
Pastille, made from fruit and berry puree and honey, is a sweet that improves digestion because it contains a large amount of pectin. These substances are enterosorbents; they absorb harmful substances, accumulated in the intestines, and remove them from the body. Traditional marshmallow made from non-acidic berries or fruits is a delicacy that can be consumed for other diseases of the pancreas.
The pastila available to us today, unlike a dish prepared according to ancient Russian recipes, will bring much less benefit to the body. Applesauce and agar, which have valuable properties, there is very little in it, but there is plenty of sugar. Despite this, when we eat a treat, we get pleasure, and a person also needs this. The body needs the glucose contained in sweets to produce the “joy hormone,” and marshmallows are a good source of easily digestible carbohydrates.
Calorie content of marshmallows
Modern marshmallows resemble marshmallows in appearance. The calorie content of both types of marshmallows is quite high, 100 g of a modern delicacy contains about 370 kcal, the traditional dish is quite inferior to it, it contains about 300 kcal. That’s why marshmallows, of course, cannot be called a dietary product.
Harm from marshmallows
If you have an individual intolerance to honey, sugar or other components from which marshmallow can be made, you should not consume it. You should not buy treats with artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, they can also cause allergies. Abuse of sweets can also cause an undesirable reaction.
This delicacy is a high-calorie product, so it is better to exclude it from the diet during the period of following low-calorie diets.
Pastila - very tasty treat, which is much healthier than many other sweet dishes, but do not forget about its possible harm, especially if consumed in excess.
Video of the program “Examination of Things. OTK" on the topic "Pastila":
This sweetness has a centuries-old history. The first mention of it dates back to the 14th century, when it began to be made from tightly whipped applesauce, berry mass and honey. Later they began to add egg white to it, thanks to which the dessert acquired its white color.
Fortunately, fragrant and delicate marshmallow, an original Russian product, did not share the fate of recipes abandoned over the centuries. And today, like many centuries ago, you can enjoy it to your heart’s content. However, is it enough? Is this sweetness good for the body and figure or harmful and what is its calorie content?
The classic composition of marshmallow is apple pulp (from the first days of the recipe, only sour varieties, such as Antonovka or Titovka, are used), ground berries (also, by the way, unsweetened: rowan, raspberry, currant) and honey.
The sticky, fragrant mixture was simmered for a long time in a Russian oven, which is why, deprived of moisture, it became aromatic, dry and a little crumbly. Sugar and egg white are the result of later culinary experiments and attempts to save money, for example, on expensive honey.
Nowadays, the composition of sweets has become the object of work of production technologists. Increasingly, wheat flour (it binds the fruit and berry mass), flavorings, dyes, preservatives, and fillers began to be added to marshmallows. In addition, pectin or agar-agar is mixed into it so that the sweetness sets better and can withstand a longer shelf life.
The calorie content of such marshmallows is 324 kcal per 100 grams, or 2-3 pcs. Calorie content is 1 pc. sweets – 123 kcal.
What are the benefits of sweetness?
The poorer its composition is in artificial additives, the more beneficial the product itself. Moreover, marshmallow has long served not only as a gastronomic delight, but also as a source of many substances that have a beneficial effect on the body. Only 1–2 pcs. The content of marshmallows is equivalent to one or two small apples and a handful of berries.
But how much useful is there in each such aromatic block:
- despite the fact that many vitamins disintegrate during heat treatment of sweets, experts found group B and vitamin PP in it;
- The pectin contained in apples promotes better absorption of food and enhances intestinal motility;
- Fruit fiber also has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract;
- potassium, magnesium, iron, sodium, phosphorus, calcium - all these elements are preserved in the finished marshmallow, helping to fight diseases of the cardiovascular system, participating in hematopoiesis, maintaining eye health and bone strength.
Ancient recipes and new technologies
Modern manufacturers often conjure up the composition, adding a fresh note to the traditional taste. For example, “Sharmel” (or “Sharmel”) pastille, in addition to the familiar cranberry pastille, also comes in vanilla, yoghurt, and strawberry and cream flavors. 1 piece of such pastille contains 22 g and only 70 kcal. But 100 grams of the same vanilla marshmallow already contain 320 kcal. Therefore, nutritionists do not recommend getting carried away with it.
The Belevskie Sladosti company took a different path. Here they decided to produce marshmallows old recipes, as our ancestors knew it. Belevskaya marshmallow is produced by hand and using centuries-old technologies.
Applesauce, egg white and sugar are the main ingredients. Its calorie content is 270 kcal per 100 grams, and in the dietary version, with fructose instead of sugar, it is 210 kcal! Therefore, Belevsky marshmallow, of course, if you do not swallow it in whole boxes, will not harm your figure. 1-2 bars of sweetness per day will be more than enough.
The natural composition is a sign that Belevskaya marshmallow can serve as an excellent treat for children. Classic, airy, dietary, with cherries, with lingonberries, with raspberries, with cranberries, Belevskaya pastille can be different types and with different tastes, but every piece of it is natural, which means it is good for health. This is how our ancestors intended the delicacy – unusually tasty and tender.