Dried ground bird cherry. Ground bird cherry – product description with photos, composition and calorie content; how to properly grind dry berries, application; beneficial properties and harm

The content of the article:

Ground bird cherry is the dried and crushed fruits of the bird cherry tree. The plant gets along well in the difficult Russian climate. Although its homeland is considered to be East Asia (China) and Africa (Morocco). Flowers, fruits and even tree bark have a unique healing composition, and therefore at all times they have been actively used in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. However, ground bird cherry has also found its place in cooking. We were the first in our country to make flour from the fruits of the tree and mix it as a healthy additive into regular wheat or rye flour became Siberians and residents of the Urals. However, a similar tradition has existed since ancient times in other countries. Powder from the fruits of the bird cherry tree makes dishes not only healthier, but also tastier. The flour is brown in color and has a pleasant almond smell.

Calorie content and composition of ground bird cherry

Almost all vitamins, except B12, are found in ground bird cherry; it also contains a large number of macroelements and other useful components.

The calorie content of ground bird cherry is 101 kcal per 100 g of product, of which:

  • Proteins - 8.4 g;
  • Fats - 0 g;
  • Carbohydrates - 16.8 g.
Among the macroelements in ground bird cherry there is magnesium - 0.9 mg per 100 g.

Microelements per 100 g:

  • Iron - 0.2 mg;
  • Cobalt - 10000 mcg
  • Manganese - 1 mg;
  • Copper - 100 mcg;
  • Zinc - 0.3 mg.
The following were also found in the fruits: useful material, as antioxidants and endorphins, malic and citric acid. There is fruit sugar and tannins here. Ground bird cherry is also rich in essential oils.

In addition, the fruits of the tree contain pectin, which is a specific analogue of fiber, as well as benzoaldehyde, which provides the plant with phytoncidal properties - in other words, an antibacterial and antifungal effect.

Useful properties of ground bird cherry

Thanks to the rich chemical composition bird cherry flour is used in folk medicine everywhere. Biologically active substances contained in large quantities in fruits have a beneficial effect on the activity of all systems and organs. However, it is important to understand that the positive effect of bird cherry flour is fully revealed only when it is regularly consumed.

Let's take a closer look at the benefits of ground bird cherry

  1. Anti-inflammatory effect. The reason for this beneficial effect is the phytoncidal properties of the fruit, which we have already discussed above. Thanks to these properties, bird cherry flour works as a natural antiseptic, actively fighting the pathogenic environment. The phytoncidal properties of the plant are so great that it can not only have a preventive effect, but also actively fight against already developing inflammatory processes of any nature, even venereal ones.
  2. Normalization of the gastrointestinal tract. Tannins and others useful components, which are part of the fruit, help improve the functioning of the digestive system and fight its disorders, especially diarrhea. A pronounced antispasmodic effect prevents pain in the gastrointestinal tract.
  3. Prevention and treatment of colds. The high content of ascorbic acid and other vitamins in fruits helps prevent respiratory infections. At the same time, a pronounced diaphoretic and antipyretic effect in combination helps to cure any cold in the shortest possible time.
  4. Strengthening blood vessels. The flavonoids contained in ground bird cherry help strengthen the walls of blood vessels, especially capillaries. In addition, the vessels become more elastic.
  5. Beneficial effect on the nervous system. The fruits of the plant have an amazing effect on the nervous system. On the one hand they tone, on the other they calm. In this way, a person can relieve excessive emotionality associated with stress or other reasons, without the side effect of relaxation and loss of concentration.
  6. Strengthening men's health. The tonic effect that bird cherry has has a positive effect on men's health, increasing potency. Thus, flour from the fruits of this tree can safely be called an aphrodisiac.
  7. Blood purification. Ground bird cherry is rich in vitamin PP and pectin, which in combination prevent the absorption of cholesterol into the blood and remove excess cholesterol from the body. In addition, these same components help cleanse the blood of other harmful toxins.
  8. Strengthening the immune system. Increasing the body's defenses as a whole is a beneficial effect that bird cherry owes to three components, such as vitamin C, beta-carotene and flavonoids. This trio, working in combination, actively stimulates the immune system and prevents the development of cancer processes.
  9. Normalization of the urinary system. Bird cherry fruits have a pronounced diuretic effect, and the essential oils they contain have a positive effect on kidney health. Thus, their regular use is an excellent prevention of diseases of the urinary system.
  10. Strengthening joints. Ground bird cherry also has a positive effect on joints. It heals and strengthens them, helps remove heavy metal salts. Thus, eating fruit flour is an excellent prevention of arthritis, rheumatism and other similar diseases.
  11. Improved skin condition. The beneficial effect of bird cherry flour on the skin has been noted; it looks fresh and rejuvenated.
Bird cherry fruits contain beneficial bitterness - substances necessary for the healthy functioning of all organs of the digestive system and strengthening the walls of the stomach. However, the content of these elements in cultivated varieties is less than in wild bird cherry fruits, since breeders deliberately strive to make them sweeter; as a result, wild fruits are more bitter, but their healing effect is higher.

Harm and contraindications to ground bird cherry

Any product, no matter how useful it may be, has its contraindications. Unfortunately, ground bird cherry is no exception. Contraindications in this case, as well as the healing properties, are explained by the peculiarities of the composition.

Eating bird cherry flour can harm people:

  • With a weakened immune system. The fruits of the bird cherry tree contain amygdalin, which, when decomposed, releases poison - hydrocyanic acid. And although the amygdalin content in the plant is small, for those whose immunity is weakened (people who have suffered serious illnesses, pregnant and lactating women) or is not developed (children under 3 years old), bird cherry is still contraindicated in any form.
  • For those suffering from constipation. As we said above, bird cherry fruits contain tannins in large quantities; they have astringent and fixing properties, which helps fight diarrhea, but with constipation the situation can only get worse.
  • With severe diseases of the digestive system. Ground bird cherry slightly irritates the mucous membranes, and therefore is prohibited during exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.
  • Diabetes sufferers. The fruits contain a lot of sugar, which means they are not recommended for diabetics.
  • For allergy sufferers. Certain components that make up the fruits of the bird cherry tree can cause allergies due to individual intolerance to the components, in which case the use of the product is strictly prohibited.
Bird cherry has an ambiguous effect on reproductive abilities. In ancient times, healers prepared special potions based on this plant, which were recommended for women to use to avoid unwanted pregnancy. Some doctors still claim that bird cherry can work as a contraceptive, although this effect has not been scientifically substantiated. One way or another, if you are planning a child, it is better to avoid using bird cherry flour. However, we do not recommend considering the use of ground fruits as a reliable method of contraception; it is better to use modern proven methods to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

Recipes for dishes with ground bird cherry

The use of ground bird cherry in recipes is especially important when preparing various baked goods. Fruit flour turns dessert not only tasty, but also healthy dish. So, in fact, you can add it in small quantities to the dough for any cake, pie, cookies, pancakes, etc. A familiar dish will acquire a slight nutty and blueberry flavor.

Bird cherry flour is often added to drinks: non-alcoholic - syrups, compotes, kvass; and alcoholic - a variety of liqueurs and tinctures. Let's figure it out best recipes with ground bird cherry:

  1. Siberian cake with bird cherry flour. Take a pan, put salt (1 tablespoon) on the bottom, cover it with a clean piece of cloth (you can use gauze, but you need to fold it in 2-3 layers). Pour sour cream (500 grams) on top, close the pan and refrigerate - preferably overnight, at least for 4 hours. Bring milk (1 cup) to a boil, pour it, without cooling, into a deep bowl and pour ground bird cherry (1 cup) on top, leave the mixture to swell for several hours. In a new bowl, beat eggs (2 pieces) with sugar (1 cup), then add wheat flour (1 cup) and soda (1 teaspoon), quenched with vinegar. Take a bowl of swollen bird cherry, drain the remaining milk if necessary, and add it to the main dough. Place in a tall baking dish parchment paper, grease with oil, pour the dough into it and bake at 180 degrees for 40 minutes (check readiness with a dry match). Remove the sour cream from the refrigerator; it should have released excess liquid and become thicker. Transfer the sour cream to a bowl (it is advisable to pre-cool it in the freezer), add powdered sugar(200 grams) and beat for 5-7 minutes with a mixer until stable peaks form. Remove the “pie” from the oven and cut into two layers, brush both with cream. To taste, sprinkle the cake with nuts or decorate it in another way and let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
  2. Pancakes with mascarpone and berries. Beat eggs (2 pieces) with sugar (30 grams) in a deep bowl, add milk (250-300 ml), kefir (100-150 ml), salt (5 grams), soda (3 grams) and mix thoroughly. Add a mixture of bird cherry (60 grams) and wheat (100 grams) flour a little at a time. If you cannot achieve homogeneity, use a mixer. Heat up the pan and start baking pancakes. Place mascarpone and any berries of your choice on each pancake and roll into a roll. Sprinkle the tops of the pancakes with powdered sugar.
  3. Bird cherry bread in a bread machine. Pour whey or milk (300 ml) into the bread machine, add salt (1 teaspoon), sugar (1 tablespoon), sifted wheat flour (500 grams), then bird cherry flour (50 grams). Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast (fast acting, dry - 1 sachet). Select the main mode (bread baking mode) and bake. You can prepare this bread in the oven, then you first need to let the dough rise. Bake bread in the oven at 180 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Willingness to check with a match.
  4. Bird cherry coffee. Pour boiling water (200 ml) into a mug, add ground bird cherry (2 teaspoons), brew for 5-7 minutes. Add sugar and milk to taste.
  5. Kissel made from bird cherry flour and honey. Pour boiling water (0.5 liters) into flour (100 grams) and mix thoroughly. Add another liter of boiling water, honey (2 tablespoons) and starch (1 tablespoon) to the resulting mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately remove from the stove. When the jelly has cooled, you can drink it.
  6. Bird cherry kvass. Pour ground bird cherry (500 grams) with water (4 liters), bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes. Cool the mixture, add sugar (300 grams), mix thoroughly and leave to brew for 12 hours. Add more sugar (200 grams) and pour in more water (2 liters), and also add yeast (10 grams). Leave the mixture for another 12 hours. Strain the kvass and pour it into closed containers - after 2-3 days it will be ready to drink.
Bird cherry flour is not easy to find on sale, but you can make it yourself - this is not a problem, considering that the plant is present everywhere in our region. However, when preparing flour yourself, you need to follow a number of rules: important rules on drying and processing fruits so that the berries do not lose their healing properties.

There are many legends about the origin of the tree. One of the most beautiful legends says that an unhappy girl suffering from unrequited love turned into a bird cherry. Her heart grew cold from unrequited feelings. That’s why when the bird cherry blossoms, the days and nights are cold.

Bird cherry in our country has always been considered a symbol of love, youth, tenderness and innocence. Charms made from fruits and other parts of the tree protected lovers - they saved them from disputes, quarrels, and betrayals.

It was also believed that the plant protected against evil spirits, and therefore bird cherry trees always received special care.

Archaeologists have recently found evidence that bird cherry was used by people back in the Stone Age. The first written mention is found in the works of the ancient Greek botanist Theophastus, who described beneficial features the fruits of the tree, as well as its bark and leaves. In Russian writing, the first mentions of the plant appeared in the 15th century.

Bird cherry, along with rowan, is a favorite of Russian poets and songwriters; many poems, songs, proverbs and sayings have been written about the plant.

The tree has dark bark - almost black. It is believed that it was this feature that gave the plant the name it has, because in the old speech “cherma” means “dark”, “swarthy”.

Bird cherry fruits can also be eaten in fresh, however, it is important to get rid of seeds, in which the concentration of hydrocyanic acid is quite high. Also, you should not brew fruits with seeds.

It is noteworthy that bird cherry is used not only in cooking and folk remedies treatment of certain diseases. The plant is also used in cosmetology and… paint production.

Despite the delightful aroma and beauty of the flowers, it is not worth bringing bird cherry into the house for a long time; prolonged inhalation of its smell can cause a headache and cause one or another disorder of the nervous system. However, if you want to disinfect the air in the room and/or get rid of insects, place the bouquet in the house for half an hour.

Watch a video about ground bird cherry:


Ground bird cherry - unique product. It is extremely healthy, and if you have no contraindications for eating it, be sure to add flour to baked goods and drinks from time to time. As we have already said, it is not easy to get it on sale, but preparing it yourself is not at all difficult. As a last resort, ground bird cherry can be ordered on the Internet, on sites that sell healthy products.

Bird cherry flour is a product for our area, unfortunately, not very well known. But it has a lot of advantages - starting from a wonderful taste and rich useful composition and ending dietary properties. Many baked goods are prepared from bird cherry flour, the delicious taste of which, coupled with a valuable composition that carries many benefits, deserves the attention of the general public.

Peculiarities

It would seem that in our time you won’t surprise anyone with a new type of flour - almond and coconut, various nuts and peas, and pumpkin are widespread. However, bird cherry product stands separately on this list. In Russia, this type of flour is not very widespread - few people know about its existence, despite the huge number of useful properties and advantages. Therefore, it can be very difficult to find in mass production; it is made to order by small specialized enterprises.

Bird cherry flour is obtained not from bird cherry grains, but from its dried fruits. Bird cherry is dried in specially created artificial conditions or under the rays of the sun. It is noteworthy that for many years bird cherry was considered an unsuitable product for cooking due to its rather bright and piquant composition. In those days, many peoples, including Slavic ones, collected bird cherry berries and added them to pies, decorated dishes with them, and made compotes, but this plant began to be used as flour only recently.

Description and characteristics

Culinary products The epithets “unusual”, “delicious”, “savory” are ideal for this type of flour. In addition to various types of baked goods, jelly is prepared from bird cherry flour; I add it to alcoholic drinks, including in wine - as natural dye. Bird cherry desserts are especially delicious if you brew them with black tea or pour a cup of hot chocolate.

Externally, this flour is very similar to cocoa powder - a pleasant brown color, soft silky texture and fine grinding. Its smell is somewhat reminiscent of the smell of almonds, and it tastes sweet, but with a bitterness, in a word, really piquant.

Beneficial features

Bird cherry flour is a product that is not only tasty, but also healthy. It is still believed that she has great medicines than wheat. It is credited with bile- and diuretic effects, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, and is widely used in the prevention of colds, to accelerate regeneration and improve immunity. In a word, its application is enormous.

Bird cherry flour has long been used in folk medicine. For example, it was believed that products made from bird cherry and wheat flour in half helped with diseases such as tuberculosis, diabetes, and various intestinal disorders. Dishes made from bird cherry flour help stabilize metabolism.

A sufficient amount of antioxidants and flavonoids allows us to conclude that bird cherry flour is a hypoallergenic product.

If you are not allergic directly to bird cherry, of course. It can relieve irritation, itching and inflammation caused by exposure to allergens.

It is also a very low calorie product. The calorie content of 100 grams is only about 120 kilocalories or 500 kJ, which is several times less than others similar products. 67% of its BZHU are complex carbohydrates, which will allow you to consume baked goods from this flour when losing weight, on diets or during fasting days.

The remaining 16% comes from proteins, 17% from carbohydrates. It can also be used by people with glucose intolerance or low glucose tolerance. Nutritionists point out that there is more fiber here than in any other flour, which is due to the fact that the seeds and skin, which contain fiber, huge quantities, are also ground into flour.

One of the most important features of this flour is the absence heat treatment. It is thanks to this that substances such as vitamins E, P, B1-B2, zinc, copper, and iron are preserved in its composition. It is also important to note that the composition of bird cherry flour is very “acidic” - it contains a large amount of organic acids, for example, citric, malic and ascorbic.

However, if you suffer from ulcers or gastritis, then there is no need to be afraid of this - a large amount of fruit acids helps remove toxins from the body and normalizes the acidic environment.

In cosmetology, it is especially emphasized that bird cherry contains a large amount of vitamin P, otherwise known as routine, which slows down the aging process, and in combination with vitamin C and fruit acids can be used as a good renewing agent. Judging by the reviews, resourceful ladies learned about this a long time ago and are already using bird cherry flour as masks and peelings, however, mixing it with clay, base fatty oils or other types of flour, such as pumpkin flour.

All this makes bird cherry flour very useful for entire categories of people (losing weight, sitting on proper nutrition those with glucose intolerance), and baked goods made from it taste no less pleasant than those made from other types of flour.

Contraindications

Despite a number of advantages, beneficial properties and rich composition, bird cherry flour cannot be consumed during certain periods of life or in case of certain diseases.

Due to the content of prussic acid in bird cherry seeds, this flour is not recommended for pregnant women, while breastfeeding and children under two years of age. The likelihood that hydrocyanic acid will cause any harm to the body is very small, but if you are hypersensitive, it is better not to use it. The same applies to allergies to flour and individual intolerance.

It is recommended to avoid bird cherry flour if you have diseases such as ulcers or gastritis. It can lead to an exacerbation of the disease, because bird cherry berries contain an increased concentration of acids, which should not be consumed in case of such diseases.

For chronic constipation, bird cherry flour should also be avoided - it binds the stool, which can only aggravate the problem. Also, due to the “acidic” composition, you should pay great attention to the expiration date of flour if you purchase it in a store.

How to cook?

In the vast expanses of our vast homeland, this flour is not yet so popular, however, gourmets have already managed to appreciate it. It is not mass produced, so it will be quite difficult to purchase it - one might even say that it is easier to prepare it yourself.

The algorithm for preparing bird cherry flour at home is simple. The first step is to collect the bird cherry and dry it. In most parts of our country best time For this purpose, the period from the end of July to the beginning of September is considered. Next, grind the berries thoroughly, for example, using a coffee grinder.

A mortar can also help to grind the berries, but this method is very long and requires a lot of effort. When the bird cherry begins to look more like finely ground flour, you should put it through a sieve to get rid of any remaining peel and too large pieces of seeds. This flour can be stored for 1 year from the date of production in a closed, dry room.

Where is it used?

Many diets often contain recipes for various baked goods made from this flour. These include cookies, pancakes, muffins, breads, buns; it is widely used in making pies. The range is as huge as in the case of regular wheat flour. Here are a few simple recipes, which everyone can repeat.

Pancakes made from bird cherry flour

Such pancakes, like everything made from bird cherry flour, are rightfully considered dietary. To prepare them you will need bird cherry flour, wheat flour, milk, water, two chicken eggs, sugar, salt and soda to neutralize acids. The sequence of actions is the same as in the case of regular pancakes. Two types of flour are mixed in a separate bowl in a ratio of 2: 1 (more bird cherry flour). Beat the eggs separately, add one teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar.

Next, 100–200 ml of milk is poured into the eggs, everything is mixed, then flour is added. Stir the mixture until smooth and carefully add the remaining milk or water - we do not pour out all the milk at once, since a thicker mass is easier to make homogeneous. Add a pinch of soda. You can mix the dough either with a mixer or by hand.

At the very end, add two tablespoons of vegetable oil to the dough and mix again.

The calorie content of such pancakes will be only about 200 calories, and the taste will be excellent. If desired, such pancakes can be stuffed with filling, for example, low-fat cottage cheese.

Bird cherry brownies

Brownies, which can be baked from bird cherry flour, are considered no less tasty. You will need 100 grams of bird cherry and wheat flour, sugar and butter, 200 ml milk, 3 eggs and sugar - to taste. You can use pomegranate or nuts as decoration. You will also need cake molds.

Boil the milk and pour it over the bird cherry flour, leave it in this position for 2–2.5 hours. Melt the butter, mix the eggs with sugar - but don't beat it.

Bird cherry flour should look like a thick dark paste after time. Add it to the eggs and sugar, and don’t forget about the butter. Stir the resulting composition, add wheat flour. The dough will be liquid; for convenience, we recommend using a ladle to fill out the molds. Grease the molds vegetable oil. Brownies are placed in the oven preheated to 170 degrees for 15-17 minutes.

Bird cherry bread

If you are an amateur homemade bread, then you will definitely like the recipe for bird cherry bread. It's a little more complicated than making regular wheat or pumpkin bread, but the taste is amazing. Take 400 ml of water, bird cherry flour 30 g, wheat flour - 600 g, 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil, salt - 1 teaspoon, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 6 g of dry yeast.

First of all, mix the wheat flour with yeast in a large bowl, pour the bird cherry flour, as in the case of Brownies, with boiling water (200 ml), add salt and sugar to it. Wait until the boiling water with flour has cooled, and then pour the resulting mixture into the wheat flour. Add the remaining 200 ml of warm water, sunflower oil, mix the dough thoroughly, knead. As a result, it remains soft for a long time and slightly sticks to your hands.

Now take another bowl and grease it sunflower oil and place the dough into it. Now you need to cover it with a plastic bag and leave it for an hour and a half. After forty minutes, the dough will need to be kneaded, covered again with film and left to rise for the rest of the time. After this time, the dough will rise and become more similar to traditional bread - all that remains is to give it the shape of a loaf.

The form in which the bread will be baked should be lined with parchment or greased with butter. You should place the bread in the pan, cover with a cloth and leave to stand for another half hour. During this time, the dough will increase even more, occupy the entire shape, and then it can be baked.

The oven should be preheated to 200 degrees for the first 10 minutes. You need to bake the dish with steam, placing a bowl of water under the pan. Next, you should reduce the heat so that the temperature drops to 185, leave the steam, bake for 40 minutes.

Depending on your oven, the baking time may be a little more or a little less; on average, bird cherry bread is baked for about an hour.

You can also watch the video recipe for bird cherry cake in the following video.

We continue canning, the time is now, vegetables, fruits and berries, everything is cheap, and those who have their own garden, vegetable garden, just have time, turn around. This year there is a very large harvest of bird cherry, which has not been observed for many years. I want to offer you a few delicious recipes canning bird cherry for the winter. It is tasty and healthy, and for some diseases, it is a good medicine.

  • Bird cherry preparations that were prepared with seeds (jam, compotes) should be stored for no more than 9 months from the date of preservation. This is explained by the high content of hydrocyanic acid in the stone.
  • It is better to cook bird cherry jam without seeds and it will last longer.
  • Before making jam, shake the washed berries several times in a bowl or pan, let stand for 10 minutes and shake again.

Bird cherry jam recipe

We take the number of berries arbitrarily. Fill the ripe and well-washed berries with water so as to slightly cover the berries and heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Place several layers of gauze in a colander and pour out the contents, wipe and squeeze. The result is a homogeneous liquid puree, discard the seeds. Add granulated sugar, mix thoroughly, let stand, stir again until the granulated sugar is completely dissolved.

Place in sterilized jars and cover iron lids and put it in water for sterilization. Sterilize 0.5 liter jars– 10 minutes, 1 liter jars – 20 minutes from the moment the water boils. We take it out, twist it and put it away for storage.
Take 1 kg of puree – 1 kg of sugar. Calculate how much puree you get, you can put less without it spoiling, don’t be afraid.

Compote of bird cherry and red currant

On three liter jar compote, take 0.5 liters of bird cherry berries and 0.5 liters of berries, 0.5 kg of sugar. We wash the bird cherry berries and pour them into sterilized jars, pour boiling water over them and let stand for 5 minutes.

Pour the water into a saucepan, add sugar and bring to a boil, simmer for 2 minutes. Add red currants to the bird cherry, pour boiled syrup over it and roll up. Let cool and store.

Bird cherry juice

We take the number of berries arbitrarily, fill them cold water and heat to boiling point. Stir the berries with a wooden spoon, trying to mash them. After boiling, pour the berries and liquid into a colander lined with gauze and leave to drain for an hour.

Leave the resulting cloudy juice to settle. After a few hours, carefully drain clear juice, and adding sugar (to taste), boil for 1-2 minutes and pour into clean bottles for storage.

Beautiful and tasty jelly

There are two options for making jelly:

  1. Boil to a thick consistency, before cooking add granulated sugar, for 1 liter of juice - 1 kg of sugar. Place hot into jars and cover with lids.
  2. Add gelatin swollen in water, granulated sugar and stirring, bring to a boil, pour hot into sterile jars, and roll up.

Bird cherry rolled with sugar

This in a simple way Previously, in the village they prepared bird cherry for the winter, and even dried it. We grind the washed bird cherry through a meat grinder twice and add sugar. For 1 kg of rolled mass, 0.5 sugar. Mix everything thoroughly and put it in storage jars, cover with plastic lids.

Such bird cherry is not only delicious filling for pies and rolls, but has a very good fixing effect, works well for indigestion and in treating coughs.

How to dry

The easiest way to prepare bird cherry for the winter is to dry it.

You can dry it on a stove, in ovens and dryers, but I prefer to dry it in the attic, in the shade, where the wind blows when you open the windows. I spread it thinly on baking sheets and let it dry on its own.

I store it in a paper box. I grind some of the dry bird cherry into flour in a coffee grinder. It will be useful to us for preparing fillings and various desserts, cakes and rolls. I highly recommend stocking up on this wonderful powder and using it in cooking.

Making coffee from bird cherry flour

  • 1 teaspoon flour,
  • 1 teaspoon ground coffee,
  • 200 ml water,
  • 2 teaspoons of sugar.

Mix coffee, flour, add water and bring to a boil. If desired, add sugar and cream.

This is where I end, today we talked about canning bird cherry. Try to prepare at least one of the recipes, and you will forever remain a fan of this healthy berry.

The site “I am a villager” wishes you good health and good mood. Dear friends, if you liked and found the article useful, share it with your friends and click the social media buttons. Write your recipes and comments.

The content of the article:

Bird cherry is a plant from the Rosaceae family, genus Plum. Currently, some botanists classify the culture as a member of the Cherry genus. The fruits are small, with a thin layer of pulp and a large seed. The color of the berry is black, the taste is tart, sweet, astringent. It is found everywhere in the temperate and temperate continental climate zone, growing in North Africa, throughout Europe, Transcaucasia, the Far East, Central and East Asia. Dried bird cherry is used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. For the preparation, special blower ovens are used, where the manually collected and cleaned product is laid out in a thin layer. Drying is carried out at a temperature of 60°C. Then the cooled berries are packed into air-protected packages or ground into flour. The pulp is not separated from the stone during drying.

Composition and calorie content of dried bird cherry

The nutritional value of dried berries is higher than fresh ones.

The calorie content of dried bird cherry is 108 kcal per 100 g of product, of which:

  • Proteins - 8.4 g;
  • Carbohydrates - 16.8 g;
  • Dietary fiber - 68 g;
  • Ash - 1 g;
  • Water - 5.8 g.
Dietary fiber is pectin - an analogue of fiber, lighter.

Macro- and microelements per 100 g:

  • Magnesium - 0.9 mg;
  • Copper - 100 mg;
  • Manganese - 1 mg;
  • Cobalt - 10 mg;
  • Zinc - 0.3 mg;
  • Iron - 0.2 mg.
Dried bird cherry also contains vitamins A, C and E, B complex - B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, PP. In addition, the pulp contains tannins, flavonoids and phytonicides, glycosides, essential oils, and fruit sugar. Among the acids, malic and citric acids should be distinguished.

Some components of bird cherry pulp, if overeated, can lead to deterioration of health, these are alkaloids and hydrocyanic acid. There is a minimal amount of the latter in the composition, but dried bird cherry is often consumed together with the seed, where it accumulates.

Dried bird cherry is less tart and does not stick in the mouth as much as fresh berry. If you soak it in water, the beneficial properties are preserved, and the sore throat does not appear after consumption.

Useful properties of dried bird cherry

The benefits of dried bird cherry have been recognized by official medicine. Thanks to healing properties crushed powder from the berries is added to natural preparations intended primarily for the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract.

The beneficial effects of bird cherry on the body

  1. Treatment of chronic diarrhea, including infectious ones; tannins in dried bird cherry are no less than in freshly picked ones;
  2. Stops the activity of putrefactive bacteria due to the high content of pectin;
  3. Has an adsorbing effect;
  4. Strengthens the walls of blood vessels and tones the micromuscles in the upper layer of the endometrium;
  5. Prevents the absorption of harmful cholesterol into the bloodstream;
  6. Has an antioxidant effect, isolates free radicals in the intestines, cleanses the liver of toxins;
  7. Increases local and general immunity;
  8. It has a diuretic effect, bird cherry tea eliminates the inflammatory process in the urinary system;
  9. Reduces swelling and hyperemia of the laryngeal mucosa during colds;
  10. Increases sweating, has antipyretic properties;
  11. Strengthens the nervous system, increases stress resistance, and prevents the development of depression.
Eating bird cherry is beneficial for men. Thanks to unique composition Peripheral blood supply accelerates, which means potency increases. A positive effect on libido was also noted.

If you apply a layer of soaked bird cherry to open wounds, you can prevent the development of a purulent-inflammatory process. If lotions from soaked berries are regularly applied to the face, you can restore skin tone and stop the manifestation of age-related changes.

Harm and contraindications to the use of dried bird cherry

Not everyone can include healthy berries into their diet.

The contraindications for consuming dried bird cherry are as follows:

  • Individual intolerance to the product;
  • Chronic constipation caused by dysbiosis or diseases of the digestive tract not associated with changes in the speed of peristalsis;
  • Diabetes mellitus, since dried berries contain so much sugar that a white sweet coating appears on the surface;
  • Lactation, because the pulp contains alkaloids that are excreted along with breast milk and can have Negative influence on the baby and cause intoxication.
Bird cherry is also prohibited during pregnancy. Constipation is typical for pregnant women, and the berries have a pronounced strengthening effect. Dried bird cherry, which contains hydrocyanic acid, is dangerous for them, because the berries are crushed together with the seeds. The harm of bird cherry for pregnant women is so pronounced that in an “interesting” position it is undesirable to breathe in the aroma of a flowering plant - you can provoke intoxication of the body, which will lead to termination of pregnancy.

It is not advisable to prepare dishes with dried bird cherry for small children. The berries are first soaked, and at the same time alkaloids and hydrocyanic acid are absorbed into the pulp. Even if children know how to spit out bones, there is still a risk of intoxication.

Recipes for dishes with dried bird cherry

You can dry bird cherry at home different ways. Preference should be given to the simplest. The berries are placed on baking sheets covered with white paper or parchment and left in the sun. The branches are removed during the drying process, but the fruits still need to be periodically turned over and mixed. At night, the baking sheets are removed indoors so as not to absorb falling dew. On average, the process takes 2-3 weeks. If the baking sheets are replaced with frames with a stretched mesh, drying is accelerated.

When drying in the oven, maintain the temperature at 70°C and open the door slightly to allow air to circulate. In this case, the process takes 8-15 hours.

The readiness of the product is determined by “touch”: the berries should not release juice under mechanical pressure, and when poured, make a characteristic knocking sound and rustle like peas. The skin color may change to reddish. You can prepare many dishes from dried bird cherry.

Recipes with dried bird cherry

  1. Bird cherry tincture. Used to enhance immunity and as table wine. Buy a bottle of vodka with a screw cap. Pour half the bottle, add 6 tablespoons of dried berries and 4 tablespoons of sugar, add as much vodka as possible so that the bottle closes, and put it in a dark place. After 10 days you can taste it. The astringent taste disappears, and the tincture turns out to be very soft; it can be characterized as “delicate”.
  2. Bird cherry syrup. The berries are poured with boiling water and allowed to stand until they become soaked. The water is changed periodically. Then the seeds are separated from the pulp by vigorous rubbing, covered with sugar and cooked until the contents of the pan thicken. Store as usual jam. The recipe is labor intensive, but the taste is worth it. The syrup is added as a flavor enhancer to baked goods, used as an astringent, and drinks are made from it. Proportions of ingredients: bird cherry, sugar, water - 1:1:1.
  3. Shangi with bird cherry. Shangi is a half-forgotten dish of Russian cuisine, which is open pies like cheesecakes, but with various fillings. Sift half a kilogram of flour, add 1 teaspoon of salt, dry yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar, 300 ml of warm milk and knead the dough. Melt a teaspoon of butter completely, pour it into your palm and knead the dough again for 5-7 minutes. Then it is rolled into a ball and put in a warm place under a towel until it fits. During the lifting process they push 2-3 times. The bird cherry is placed in a saucepan, pounded, poured with boiling water and boiled for about 5-10 minutes, poured into sugar. The proportions of berries and sugar are 5:1. Then the filling is cooled and the water is drained. The dough is rolled out into small circles, the filling is laid out, and the edges are folded in, like on belyashi. Let the shangs stand for 5-7 minutes until they come up. At this time, beat the egg and grease the products. Bake at 220°C until the dough is browned. Ready-made shangi increase in size, so do not place them close to the baking sheet, otherwise they will stick together. You can eat it with sour cream. Tasty both warm and cold. Classic shangi are prepared with crushed bird cherry filling, but if grains of seeds bother you, you can pass the berries through a meat grinder.
  4. Siberian cake. This dish is a table decoration in traditional cuisine Siberians. You should prepare in advance approximately 100 g of dry bird cherry, a little less than a glass of milk, 4 large or 5 small chicken eggs, a tablespoon of butter, a little flour - about 125 g, but more may be needed. Add baking powder to the dough - approximately 2 teaspoons or less, fresh lemon juice from half a lemon. Ingredients for making cream: 400 g sour cream, 100 g sugar. For decoration - chocolate, preferably white, in drops. Siberians prefer to lightly crush the berries and steam them well with boiling milk for 3 hours, periodically reheating them to a boil. It is convenient to infuse berries in a slow cooker; previously they used a Russian oven for this. Separate the yolks and whites, beating the yolks with a third of the sugar. When foam has already formed, mix them with bird cherry, getting rid of excess milk using a sieve. There is no need to strain thoroughly. It is convenient to use a food processor or blender with a large bowl to prepare bird cherry dough. Mix bird cherry dough, butter, flour, lemon juice in a food processor. Separately, beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar until they reach peaks and add them little by little into the dough, stirring at low speed. Post it in silicone mold or a frying pan greased with sunflower oil, bake for about 40 minutes in the oven at 180°C. If the top is too baked, cover with parchment. While the cake is baking, knead sour cream. The sponge cake can be cut lengthwise and grease both parts with cream or just spread it on top. Sprinkle generously onto the cream chocolate chips. The downside of the dessert is that it crunches a little on the teeth.
Dried bird cherry is stored for no more than 3 years, the product does not lose nutritional properties. However, beneficial substances last no longer than 1.5 years. If you plan to prepare a drink for immunity, then “old” bird cherry is not suitable.

You should not get rid of the workpiece if a white coating appears on the dried fruits, but there is no change in smell. It's just crystallized sugar.

The ancient Slavs associated bird cherry with spiritual purity and innocence. According to legend, a young girl who never received the attention of the guy she loved with all her heart turned into a tree. At first she suffered silently and cried so that no one would see, and then her heart turned to ice, and her tears turned black and became tart from hatred of her happy rival. The pagan Gods chose to turn the maiden into a tree so that she would not harm the newlyweds. Since then, when the bird cherry blossoms, cold weather sets in.

Bird cherry does not bear fruit every year. Even if you enjoyed the delicate aroma of flowering in the spring, you may not expect fruit. The plant reacts to unfavorable weather conditions and pest activity.

Bird cherry trees are not planted in gardens; the grown tree takes up a lot of space and obscures the usable area with its crown. But it is often planted as an ornamental plant in urban areas, and it takes root well.

When you sit in the park under a bird cherry tree, you don’t have to worry about being bitten by flies or mosquitoes. The dry pulp also retains phytoncides. If you place a saucer of dried bird cherry near your home, filled with water, as long as the smell persists, insects will not bother you.

There are 20 species of bird cherry in total, and almost all the fruits are edible. For consumers who have not encountered botanical descriptions, plants differ in trunk height, inflorescence shape and fruit color. They can be either black or reddish. Berries of all types can be prepared for the winter in dried form.

Only the maaki bird cherry berries are inedible for humans, but that’s “no big deal.” The tree grows in the subtropics of South America and reaches a height of 16 m. It would be problematic for humans to collect the bitter fruits. But bears and birds adore them.

Common bird cherry, traditional for Central European areas, is also not easy to collect. The trees grow up to 8 m in height. But since the trunk is thick, it is not difficult to climb a tree and get comfortable to pick berries. The harvest is then stored for the winter and enjoyed fragrant pies with bird cherry.

Watch a video about dried bird cherry:

Pies, lush, soft, the same ones that, as you know, make a red hut - are the best decoration for any hospitable table. They don’t make them with anything! The list can be endless. We will focus on a rather rare version of the filling from forest berries- the famous bird cherry that blooms when it gets cold and whose taste, tart and sweet with a slight bitterness, is so pleasant.

Bird cherry jam for pies

The most basic bird cherry filling for various types of baked goods is jam. It's already finished product, which you just put in the dough and put in the oven. How to prepare it for future use? The collected berries are removed from the brushes, sorted, then blanched in boiling water for 2-3 minutes to soften them. You can cook it in the same water and from it you will get an excellent bird cherry filling. Product consumption is as follows: for every kilogram of berries, at least 1.3-1.5 kg of sugar and 600 g of water are required. Pour the hot syrup over the berries, let the jam boil again, and then keep it over low heat, stirring and skimming, until the dessert is ready. To make the future cherry filling for baking tastier, you can add a couple of grams to the berries during cooking. citric acid. When the syrup reaches the desired thickness and “sets” rather than spreading, transfer the mixture into sterilized jars and roll up. Another tip: since this is not just jam, but a cherry filling for pancakes, pies, cookies, then at the very end put a little vanilla sugar. Thus, this dessert itself will already smell like baking!

If the cherry filling for a pie in the form of jam turns out to be runny, you can do this. First, place the contents of the jar in a colander, which is placed over the saucepan. The syrup will drain, and the berries can be safely placed in the dough. Secondly, there is another way to make the bird cherry filling more tender and tastier. Rub the berries through a sieve and add the same grated cottage cheese. Or beat cottage cheese with bird cherry syrup. The air mass will taste very pleasant. If it doesn't seem sweet enough, add a little sugar while whipping.

Dried bird cherry

Bird cherry pie filling made from dried berries is considered tasty and retains all the vitamins and beneficial properties. Where to start in this case? Of course, from the fruits themselves. True, you can buy bags of berries in the store. However, everything that is made with your own hands is undoubtedly tastier and of higher quality. Place the collected, sorted and washed bird cherry on baking sheets in a layer no thicker than 2 cm and dry in several stages in an oven heated to +50-60 degrees. It needs to be turned over periodically. When the berries wrinkle, a coating of sugar crystals appears in their folds, and they themselves acquire a tart-sweet taste, let them cool, pour into paper bags and store in places inaccessible to dampness. A very unusual filling of ground bird cherry is made from such berries. But more on that below. How to use dried? About the same as raisins! That is, if you need to add berries to some dish, just steam a certain amount of them in hot water. The bird cherry will swell. Then you can grind it with the same cottage cheese. Or add to any fruit filling.

Ground bird cherry

The ground cherry filling is a rather complex product, primarily in its production. Although in Rus' it has been used for various types of baking since time immemorial. To get this filling, you need to grind the dried berries in a coffee grinder along with the seeds into powder. It turns out the so-called It can be put into the dough, mixed with regular wheat. Or you can make a soufflé filling. To do this, pour the same amount of hot milk into 100 g of flour, boil for a minute or two and let cool, brew, and swell. Add sugar to taste, beat in an egg, add 150 g curd mass, beat everything with a mixer or whisk. This filling is suitable for pies made from biscuit dough.

Fresh berry filling

Here's another one healthy recipe, although somewhat labor intensive. Prepare the collected berries for processing. Scroll them several times in a meat grinder (at least 4 to grind the seeds well) and add sugar. Take products in a ratio of approximately 1 to 2, i.e. for every 1 kg of berries, 2 kg of sugar. For taste, you can add crushed small lemon.