The drink turns out thick and viscous: disrupting the usual brewing cycle produces an unexpected effect
Vzvar is often confused with kompot, but the difference lies not in the ingredients but in the approach.
A slow cooker is the perfect tool here. The airtight lid prevents steam from escaping, but instead condenses and returns it to the bowl. This preserves all the essential oils and aroma of the dried fruits, which would simply evaporate in a conventional saucepan.
Preparation: Place dried apples in a multicooker bowl and pour boiling water over them.
Heat treatment. Set the temperature to 160°C. Bring the liquid to a boil and immediately turn off the appliance.
Steeping. Close the lid tightly. Let the drink steep for 4 hours. This is where most of the flavor is extracted from the dried apples.
Finishing: Strain the finished infusion through a fine sieve. Add honey and mix thoroughly.
An important detail: why is honey added at the end?
The procedure here is dictated by the product's chemistry. As pastry chef Olga Efimova notes, when heated above 60°C, honey loses its enzymes, vitamins, and antibacterial properties. If added to a boiling drink, it becomes a regular sweetener. To preserve the beneficial properties and characteristic aroma of honey, it is added only to a cooled or warm brew.