Zefir (food) facts for kids
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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. The name given after the Greek god of the light west wind Zephyr symbolizes its delicate airy consistency.
Zefir is derived from the traditional Russian pastila confectionery, but with added egg white foam and a gelling agent.
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).
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A chocolate-coated zefir
