History of the name
An example of an incomparably tasty and at the same time healthy dessert is chocolate covered marshmallows. They started preparing this sweet back in Ancient Greece, where it acquired its current name. This happened thanks to the wind god Zephyr, who gave the Greeks a delicacy. In our time, the inhabitants of France took up the production of this dessert. The marshmallow recipe, to which proteins and marmalade were added in different proportions, became the basis of the dessert. As a result, the French produced weightless and snow-white cakes. They were called “zephyr”, which translated means “light wind”. With the advent of dyes, thickeners and flavors in the 19th century, confectioners were able to add all sorts of odors, flavors and colors to desserts.
"Belevsky sweets"
The manufacturer has long established itself in the market as a supplier of high-quality, natural products. The marshmallows are well packaged and require some effort to open.
The consistency is thick or meaty, which ensures long-lasting saturation. The aroma is delicate and natural, the taste is quite unusual, since it does not resemble ordinary store-bought marshmallows.
It has a citrus sourness (orange) and a berry flavor (strawberry). A huge plus is that it can be used by nursing mothers, since children do not have an allergic reaction.
Composition of a delicious product
Now a little about the technology for making marshmallows. Immediately after thoroughly whipping the fruit or berry puree, add proteins, sugar and form-building filler. The latter contains the following products: gelatin mass, agar syrup and pectin. These components make marshmallows useful, especially for a growing body.
One marshmallow product weighs about 33 g, and its calorie content is 108 kcal. But marshmallows in chocolate contain about 200 kcal. The airy dessert contains no fat, which cannot be said about other desserts.
Marshmallows, which are based on fructose, can be consumed even by diabetics. Citrus and fruit dessert contains pectin. Products made from it are unusually airy and have a slight sourness. To get this taste, confectioners use apples.
Pectin removes salts and toxins from the body, and also improves its resistance. As a result, cholesterol and sugar levels are reduced.
Dessert improves blood pressure.
Agar-agar-based marshmallows are thicker. The sweetness is enriched with iodine, as well as micro- and macroelements. It has no taste, and seaweed is used to prepare it. A large amount of iodine has a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland, vitamins and minerals have a positive effect on hair, nails and skin condition.
Marshmallows made from gelatin are more viscous. Gelatin is used to strengthen bone tissue and restore connective tissue. Helps improve blood clotting.
Despite the many beneficial properties, not everyone can eat this sweetness. If you consume dessert in large quantities, caries may appear. Sweetness should be used in moderation in case of diabetes, and those suffering from overweight or obesity should limit themselves as much as possible in consuming this dessert.
Marshmallows in white chocolate
White chocolate is traditionally used for icing in many types of fruit desserts, so marshmallows with this coating are best prepared with additives. Below is a recipe for apple marshmallows that are perfect for white chocolate coating.
Ingredients:
- 3-4 apples or 150 grams of ready-made puree;
- 1 cup of sugar;
- 10 grams of agar-agar;
- 0.5 glasses of water;
- 1 protein;
- white chocolate (100 grams).
The cooking plan is standard and is presented step by step below.
- Boil syrup from water and sugar. You need to boil it until it starts to stretch.
- Separately, beat the egg whites with a small amount of sugar or powder.
- Prepare applesauce, mix with syrup, whisking continuously.
- Add the protein foam while continuing to beat the mixture.
- At the very end, you need to add the thickener dissolved in advance and continue to beat the mixture for 7-10 minutes.
- Use a pastry bag to form marshmallows into the desired shape and leave to dry at room temperature.
- After drying (3-4 hours), melt the chocolate and pour over the finished marshmallows.
Peach and cherry marshmallows go well with white chocolate. These treats can be prepared using the same recipe, replacing the apples with peaches or cherries.
Preparing dessert
There are several varieties of this dessert: apple, chocolate, cherry, raspberry, lemon, pear and cream. Classic marshmallows are topped with a thin layer of chocolate.
Recipe for making marshmallows in chocolate (watch online video 1).
For apple puree take:
- apples - 4 pcs. (900-1000 g);
- granulated sugar - 250 g;
- vanilla sugar - 10 g;
- egg white - 1 pc.
For sweet syrup you need to prepare:
- water - 140 ml;
- lemon juice - 20 ml;
- granulated sugar - 475 g;
- agar-agar - 8 g (4 level teaspoons).
Chocolate glaze is prepared from dark chocolate - 300 g.
To make apple puree, you need to peel them and cut them into 2 parts. Bake the mixture on steam or in the oven for 20-30 minutes until completely cooked. After this, pour water, lemon juice and agar-agar into the container, stir and set aside for a while.
Peel and grind the prepared fruits, gradually adding 250 g of regular and vanilla sugar, stir. Cool the fruits. Then take a container with agar-agar and heat until boiling. Add 475 g of sugar, stirring thoroughly until it is completely dissolved. Continue to cook the syrup until the liquid begins to form a narrow thread. Remove the finished syrup from the heat to cool slightly.
While the syrup is cooling, beat the prepared puree, then the egg whites. Beat the mixture until a snow-white thick foam appears, then add the cooled syrup in a narrow stream. Place the prepared mixture in a pastry bag and squeeze onto parchment.
All products must be similar in size. The marshmallow should be allowed to dry for 24 hours. Next, melt the dark chocolate and dip the marshmallows into it. The excess chocolate should drip off. Place the finished products on parchment until the chocolate hardens completely. Only after this can this airy and incredibly tasty dessert be served.
How to make “Marshmallow in chocolate”
1. Prepare your food. Let's get started! If your berries are frozen, like mine, you don’t need to defrost them first.
2. Place the berries in a saucepan, add a tablespoon of sugar and simmer over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
3. Rub the berry puree through a fine sieve to remove any skins. Add half the sugar and cook for a minute.
4. Leave the berry puree to cool.
5. Pour water over the agar and leave for 5-10 minutes.
6. Bring agar-agar to a boil, add the remaining sugar.
7. Cook the agar with sugar for 4-5 minutes, stirring.
8. Put half of the egg white into the cooled currant puree, start beating the mass with a mixer until it increases in volume, add the other half of the egg white, continue beating until the mass turns light.
9. Without stopping whisking, pour in agar-agar in a thin stream until the mass becomes very airy and fluffy. As it cools, it will become thick and dense. After 38-40 degrees, agar-agar begins to stabilize, do not miss the moment of depositing marshmallows.
10. The surface on which you will plant marshmallows should be covered with parchment or cling film. Fill a piping bag with marshmallow mixture using the tip of your choice. Dry the marshmallows at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
11. The finished marshmallow can be easily removed from the paper.
12. Melt the chocolate in any convenient way.
13. Dip the marshmallows into chocolate, place on paper and place in the refrigerator for the chocolate to harden.
14. Chocolate covered marshmallows are ready. I got 36 pieces.
15. If desired, the marshmallows can be decorated with something else on top. Help yourself!
Some important tips
There are currently a huge number of marshmallow manufacturers, so you need to carefully read the contents of the package. The dessert should not contain any chemicals. Full compliance with DSTU (GOST) standards can lead the manufacturer to the right path. Experts do not recommend buying bright marshmallows. Obvious irregularities and cracks on the surface of the sweet should be avoided. To check the quality of the dessert, you need to lightly press it and release it. After these simple manipulations, it should return to its previous form.
The marshmallow must be covered with powder that does not fall off. It is better to take white marshmallows rather than bright ones. If the sweetness is covered with chocolate on top, then it should shine in the sunlight, otherwise the marshmallow is covered with a confectionery glaze containing soy and fats. The chocolate must fill the entire surface of the marshmallow evenly and be very smooth to the touch. There is no need to take melted marshmallows, since the storage conditions may not have been met during its preparation.
Tips for choosing chocolate covered marshmallows
To get maximum pleasure and benefit from an airy dessert, without throwing money down the drain, you should follow some simple recommendations:
- Like most confectionery products, marshmallows contain sugar, and in quite a large amount. To minimize harm to health, choose classic marshmallows without additives, coated in natural chocolate. There will be no harm from all kinds of substitutes in small doses, but no benefit either. And a natural product is not only healthier, but also tastier.
- High-quality marshmallows with a safe composition will be produced in accordance with GOST, production standards according to TU (technical conditions) should be of concern. This gives the manufacturer some freedom of action - accordingly, there will be much more harmful additives in such a product.
- If you prefer a denser and more viscous consistency, choose marshmallows with agar-agar gelling agent. For lovers of a delicate and airy texture, it is recommended to buy pectin-based treats.
- The quality of marshmallows can be analyzed based on their appearance. A good chocolate glaze will have a characteristic shine and gloss, but if the surface is matte, the manufacturer most likely added soy and harmful hydrogenated fats.
- Cracks on the surface of glazed marshmallows may indicate a violation of storage standards - it is better not to buy such a product.
Safety
Photo: nikitozawr/pixabay.com
The study involved products from 26 Russian brands. Experts carefully checked them according to 179 indicators, the main ones being, of course, safety and quality.
So, it turned out that absolutely all brands of vanilla marshmallows are safe . None of them showed excess levels of heavy metals, dangerous microorganisms or traces of spoiled raw materials.
"Just!"
The product is completely safe, does not contain harmful substances (dyes and pesticides), and also meets the standards for the level of fruit raw materials.
The commission gave a positive assessment to the taste of the marshmallow, which leaves a light vanilla aftertaste. The only drawback is the presence of a preservative.
