Zefir (food)
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| Alternative names | Zephyr, zephir | ||||||
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| Course | Confectionery | ||||||
| Main ingredients | fruit purée, egg whites, sugar | ||||||
| Variations | Food coloring | ||||||
| 329 kcal (1377 kJ) | |||||||
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| Glycemic index | 65 (medium) | ||||||
Zefir (Russian: зефи́р, Ukrainian: Зефір, Lithuanian: Zefyras, may also be spelled zephyr or zephir) is a type of soft confectionery made by whipping fruit and berry purée (mostly apple puree) with sugar and egg whites with subsequent addition of a gelling agent like pectin, carrageenan, agar, or gelatine. It is produced in the countries of the former Soviet Union.[1] The name given after the Greek god of the light west wind Zephyr symbolizes its delicate airy consistency.[2]
Zefir is derived from the traditional Russian pastila confectionery, but with added egg white foam and a gelling agent.[3]
The form typically resembles traditional meringue. However, in contrast to commercial-grade meringue, zefir is never crispy. In contrast to most chocolate-coated marshmallow-like confectioneries; zefirs normally come without layers of cookies/biscuits included.
Zefir is usually milky white, may be rose-colored (with berries, cherry, strawberries and such), may have green dye if apple-flavored. Chocolate-coated kind of zefir are also a common, widespread version.
Zefir is comparable in its consistency to marshmallows, krembo, or the filling of modern Oreo biscuits (although not its 1902 predecessor with butter, Hydrox).
A chocolate-coated zefir
See also
References
- ^ ГОСТ-6441-96, Изделия кондитерские пастильные, общие технические условия (Interstate Standard 6441-96, Pastila type confectionery. General specifications, in Russian)
- ^ Н. М. Шанский; Т. А. Боброва (2004). "Зефир". Школьный этимологический словарь русского языка. Происхождение слов. Москва: Дрофа. (Nikolay Shansky; Tatyana Bobrova (2004). "Zefir". School Etymological Dictionary of Russian Language (in Russian). Moscow: Drofa.)
- ^ В. В. Похлёбкин (2008). "Зефир". Большая энциклопедия кулинарного искусства. Москва: Центрполиграф. ISBN 978-5-9524-3563-6. (William Pokhlyobkin (2008). "Zefir". Great Encyclopedia of Culinary Arts (in Russian). Moscow: Centrpoligraf.)
External links
- CS1 Russian-language sources (ru)
- Articles needing additional references from July 2020
- All articles needing additional references
- Articles containing Russian-language text
- Commons category link is locally defined
- Confectionery
- Russian cuisine
- Russian desserts
- Ukrainian desserts
- Chocolate-covered foods
- Soviet cuisine
- Meringue desserts