Marzipan (2024)

FAQs

What happens to marzipan if overworked? ›

Exercise caution to avoid excessive kneading, as overworked marzipan may develop an oily texture and lose its smooth, clay-like consistency. If this occurs, knead a small amount of simple syrup to rebind the oils and solids. Additionally, more confectioners' sugar can be added to restore the original consistency.

Marzipan comes from nuts—it's traditionally made with ground almonds. In order to maintain quality standards, many countries regulate the percentage of almonds a recipe must have for it to be legally called "marzipan." This discourages the use of apricot kernels as a cheap substitute for almonds.

If your marzipan is very cold and hard when you start to use it, you can soften it gently in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. Repeat if necessary. Please take care not to over-heat it though, as the oil in the marzipan can get very hot and could burn you and will separate from the paste.

The glory of marzipan is because it holds a shape easily, you can cut out or mold your own figures to decorate holiday pastries. It's also used as a kind of heavy-duty frosting for Christmas cakes because it helps long-keeping cakes (like fruitcakes) retain their moisture instead of going stale.

However, marzipan isn't especially popular in North America. It's not that we don't like it—because unless you have a nut allergy, who wouldn't like marzipan? —it's just that we don't eat it much. Often, we just sell it as an ingredient called “almond paste,” which strikes me as functional and lacking in romance.

The consumption of a large amount of marzipan (100 g) with this level leads to an intake of 5 mg cyanide, corresponding to one tenth and four-tenth of the minimally lethal dose of free cyanide in adults and children(4 years old, body weight 15 kg), respectively.

What is Marzipan? Marzipan, also known as almond candy dough, is a smooth and pliable confectionary paste made from almonds that can be used as a cake icing or molded into candies. It features a clay-like consistency that makes it easy to handle.

Niederegger is known to produce the world's highest quality marzipan.

Is marzipan good for health? Marzipan contains almonds which are a good source of minerals such as calcium and magnesium, plus vitamin E. However, bought marzipan also contains a lot of sugar.

Leave the Christmas cake covered in marzipan in a cool, dry place. Allow it to dry for at least 24 hours before covering with fondant icing, and at least two days before covering with royal icing. Home-made marzipan takes a little longer to dry out than shop-bought marzipan.

Is there a difference between marzipan and almond paste? ›

Compared to almond paste, marzipan has a higher proportion of sugar, which makes it sweeter, smoother, and more pliable—think Play-Doh. It's typically rolled, molded, dyed, and/or shaped (like into these adorable fruits!) and served as its own or used as a decorative element in larger desserts.

Don't roll it out on too much icing sugar, as it gets drier and cracks more. If not using immediately, store it in the fridge tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or clingfilm.

Although it is believed to have originated in Persia (present-day Iran) and to have been introduced to Europe through the Turks, there is some dispute between Hungary and Italy over its origin. Marzipan became a specialty of the Baltic Sea region of Germany.

Commercially produced marzipan contains around 28% almonds and 21 grams sugar per 2 tablespoons so it's sweeter than almond paste. Because marzipan is stiff, it lends itself to be cut out or shaped three-dimensionally for candies shaped like fruits, or for cake and pastry decorations.

An almond paste made using a blend of sweet and bitter almonds, with added humectant, preservative and natural colour. Golden Marzipan is suitable for covering cake, or as an added layer underneath icing. In addition it is an ideal product to create decorative models with.

How long does homemade marzipan keep? It will keep in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. If using it to cover a cake, the marzipan must be allowed to fully dry on the cake for 2-3 days before applying the sugarpaste. Dry marzipan kept it in a cool dry place should be fine for 2-3 months.

Add a bit more icing sugar if it seems too wet. Shape into a ball, then wrap and keep in a cool place until ready to cover the cake.

If you have ever made fresh marzipan, you know how sticky it is. Fortunately, drying it out makes it much easier to work with. It dries out normally on its own when exposed to air. You can mix a quick-drying powder into fresh marzipan to cut out even more of the wait.

Marzipan is usually available in golden or natural colours. There is no discernable difference in taste although different brands may vary very slightly. Like sugarpaste, marzipan will start to harden when it is exposed to the air so keep any unused marzipan tightly wrapped in plastic food bags.