From modern children, few people know what pastille is, what it is made of, and not all adults know how it is made. It's a shame that such a wonderful dessert was forgotten by descendants, despite its ease of preparation from different berries, such as cherries.
What is pastille?
The original Russian sweetness, sweet mass of berry or fruit puree, dried to the state of dried fruit, is mainly made only from whipped puree and sugar, although until the XIX century the pastille was prepared on honey, whipped protein was rarely added to lighten the product, which is why this kind of the goodies looked more like dry marshmallows. Then they began to distinguish this product by areas where the type of marshmallow was first made:
- Kolomenskaya (from the city of Kolomna) was thinner, more dried and did not have protein in its composition. The color of this marshmallow was from rusty orange to maroon, depending on the fruit from which it was made. It is she who is closer to the true pastille of the Middle Ages.
- Belevskaya (Belev city): this particular variety is prepared on whipped squirrels, with a lower content of fruit and berry puree, therefore its color is pale: from fawn to pale cherry. It looks like a pastille on a biscuit, and tastes like berry marshmallows.
By the way, before the October Revolution in 1917, the word "pastille" was written and pronounced through "O": post. This is the native name of the product, derived from the cooking process: "lay, lay, lay." The pastille was laid with long, wide layers for drying, and then they were cut and packaged.
Ingredients and Recipe
At home, cherry marshmallows are made from fresh berries that are left over from other types of workpieces: jam, juice and so on. Berries can be torn, spoiled pieces cut off - if only without rot and pests. Of course, you can do it from any, even the most beautiful and whole berries, but do not throw it away. For cherry pastilles, they usually take a ratio of 2: 1 - cherry-sugar, but taste preference plays a greater role here. Someone loves very sweet, while others prefer a natural taste with sourness.
How to make cherry sugar candy without sugar? It can be replaced with honey, the product will be healthier, the main thing is to choose the right honey: buckwheat is definitely not worth taking - its smell will interrupt the main smell of cherries, and the dessert will not be very tasty. Acacia honey is also not suitable - it is too liquid and does not crystallize well: the marshmallow does not dry out and becomes a sticky toffee. You need to take honey without a pronounced smell, but with a good ability to sugar.
The first thing that is done is to remove the seed from the cherry, the berries are poured in a saucepan with water so that they are barely covered, and put on fire. The berry mass should boil over medium heat for 40 minutes, after which the juice is drained and used to make syrups, jellies, compotes and other tasty things, and the boiled cherry berries are crushed with a blender in a puree, in which sugar or honey is added.
How and how much to cook?
Send the prepared mashed potatoes to the stove again, boil over minimal heat to the maximum possible density: the groove drawn by the spoon along the bottom slides slowly, and the whole mass easily lags behind the pan walls. It is very important in the process of evaporation of the liquid to mix the mashed potatoes as often as possible, otherwise it will burn and all the work will go to dust.
Pour still warm cherry puree onto a baking sheet lined with foil or any flat shape: the pastille is ready for drying. In the old days, our great-great-grandmothers dried it on a stove bench: it was warm and dry there, because something was constantly being prepared in the stove.
How to dry: in the oven or dryer?
Cherry pastille should have a state in which it can be cut into stripes and twisted into rolls, while it should not stick too much to the hands, but rather be dry to the touch. Lovers of homemade blanks face up with the question: how is it better and faster to achieve this?
In total, three methods are used:
- In the oven: the temperature is set at 50-65 degrees, and the cherry paste is dried to the required state.
- In the dryer: in order to dry the pastille with its help, it is necessary to make trays of foil in order to pour cherry puree on them. On average, the drying process takes from 12 to 16 hours.
- Outdoors: this grandfather method can be very convenient and, most importantly, economical. It is only necessary to find a place well blown by drafts, but without direct sunlight and gas contamination.
The readiness of the pastille is determined by touch: it should be dense, but not stone-hard and easily curl up (we remove the foil before). How can the tasteless marshmallows and marmalade from the supermarket compare with the fragrant, hand-made cherry pastille?
How to store dessert?
At home, storage consists in maintaining the dry state of the pastille: this can be achieved by placing the finished product in glass jars, slightly sprinkled with powdered sugar (not necessary if you do not consume sugar at all). Twisted strips of tight candy rolls are cut into pieces from three to five centimeters and placed in a jar under the lid. You can also store in plastic containers or in the refrigerator in the department for fruits and vegetables, pre-wrapped in foil so that the paste does not absorb extraneous odors.