Zefir (Russian Apple Marshmallow)

Method

1. 1Halve tart apples and bake at 200°C for about 30 minutes until soft. Scoop out the flesh and sieve it to a smooth, thick purée. A thick purée is essential — watery purée won't hold the foam. Weigh out 250 g of the purée: 500 g of apples gives 250–300 g, and the rest of the recipe is built on exactly 250 g.
2. 2Stir 200 g of the sugar into the 250 g of warm purée and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, to dissolve, then cool completely. Cold, stiff purée whips much higher.
3. 3Combine the agar with the 150 ml of water in a saucepan, let stand 5 minutes, then bring to a boil. Add the remaining 400 g of sugar and boil to about 110°C, until the syrup falls from the spoon in a thin thread.
4. 4Meanwhile, whip the cold purée with the egg white until white, thick, and roughly doubled.
5. 5With the mixer running, pour the hot agar syrup into the purée in a thin stream, avoiding the beaters. Whip for 3–5 minutes more, until the mass is glossy and very stiff and the whisk leaves clear ridges; the bowl should still feel warm. Pipe at once — agar starts to set when the mass cools to around 40°C.
6. 6Transfer to a piping bag and pipe about 40 rosettes, each about 5 cm across, onto baking paper. Leave uncovered at room temperature for 6–12 hours until the surface is dry to the touch and forms a light crust.
7. 7Dust with powdered sugar and press the flat sides of two rosettes together to make whole zefir — about 20 pairs. Three or four halves (roughly 75 g) make one of the 12 servings.