Homemade Pastila: Apple and Pear Variations
Pastila is a familiar, unusual sweet treat from childhood that cannot be compared to candy, chewing gum, or marshmallow. This is truly a unique Russian dessert, inimitable in its taste, which has already won the hearts of adults and children around the world.
Besides being a delicious treat, this is also healthy, especially if made without added sugar. The taste of this amazing delicacy is familiar to almost everyone today, but not everyone knows how to make pastila from apples or other ingredients at home. In fact, pastila is very easy to make at home. Below is a small selection of quick and easy recipes for this unique sweet dessert. Homemade apple pastila is sure to delight your family and makes a wonderful addition to morning or evening tea.
Belevsky recipe
The Belev recipe became the basis for all other methods of preparing this fruit delicacy. Back in 1888, the merchant Prokhorov, who proposed his recipe for processing and storing apples, inadvertently created a sweet dessert that became widespread throughout the world. The recipe was named Belev after the town of Belev, where the resourceful merchant lived.
Ingredients required:
- a bucket of Antonov apples;
- 12 cups of sugar;
- powdered sugar;
- 8 egg whites.
Method of preparation:
- Making Belev dessert begins with peeling and slicing the apples. They are then placed in an aluminum pan and steamed in the oven until they become pureed.
- Then cool the finished mass, rub it thoroughly through a sieve or colander.
- Separately, beat the egg whites, adding sugar. Fold the resulting mixture into the applesauce.
- Whisk everything together again. The finished mixture should become lighter in color. Set aside a few cups of the puree—you'll need it for greasing the layers.
- Place the remaining puree on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Dry the mixture in the oven at low heat. This will take several hours.
- After this, the recipe calls for removing the dried layers, turning the paper over, and lightly moistening it with water. Brush the layers with the remaining apple mixture and roll them into rolls, which are then placed back on the baking sheet and dried in the oven.
Homemade pastila, wrapped in parchment, can be stored for a long time in a cool, dry place. However, it's best to dust the dessert with powdered sugar and serve it with hot, aromatic tea.
Apple version
Delicate apple pastila is perhaps one of the most common interpretations of this delicious treat. This recipe can easily become the basis for making apple pastila at home.
Ingredients required:
- water;
- fresh apples.
Method of preparation:
- The recipe for making apple treats begins with cutting the fruit and removing the cores.
- Fill a thick-bottomed saucepan with water, about one centimeter deep. Place the apples in it and set the pan on the stove. Simmer the fruit over low heat for one to two hours. Cooking the apples does not require stirring. Cooking time depends directly on the size of the fruit.
- Leave the cooked fruit in the pan until it cools completely. Then strain it, discard the liquid, and press the apples through a sieve.
- The result will be a puree, which should be spread on a baking sheet lined with cling film. You can also use parchment paper for this purpose. Smooth the puree out to form an even, thin layer and leave it to dry.
Prepared apple pastila keeps for a long time without losing its flavor. Cut it into pieces and place it in a jar or wrap it in plastic wrap. Apple pastila is a delicious and healthy treat for the whole family.
Pear pastila
Another interesting Slovak-style pastila recipe uses pears. This unique dessert is just as easy to make as the apple version.
Ingredients required:
- pears – 1 kg;
- sugar – 1 glass;
- water.
Method of preparation:
- The recipe starts by slicing the pears into medium-sized wedges.
- Add a little water, about one centimeter, to the pan, then add the chopped pears. Cook until soft.
- After this, drain the water and let the fruit cool. Strain the pears through a sieve and return to the heat to evaporate all the excess liquid.
- Then add sugar to the mixture and continue to cook the puree until it thickens completely.
- Carefully transfer the hot mixture to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Roll the puree over the surface to form a thin, even layer. This recipe calls for rolling the pear puree while it's still hot, so use cooking gloves. Otherwise, this process can be quite awkward. Place the baking sheet with the pastila layer in the oven to dry thoroughly.
Cut the finished dessert into small pieces and then roll them into rolls. Store Slovak-style pear pastila in glass jars. This delicious, and most importantly, healthy dessert can be served immediately and pleasantly surprise your guests or family.
As you can see from the recipe described above, this unique dessert is quite easy to prepare and doesn't require a lot of hard-to-find ingredients. This simple recipe can be modified and expanded upon to suit your tastes. Try making this delicacy with raspberries, currants, sea buckthorn, plums, or other ingredients. This sweet treat can also be served at a holiday table. Simply garnish it with powdered sugar or fresh berries, for example.
