What is marzipan and how to make it

Name: What is marzipan and how to make it
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 730 min
Ingredients: 7 oz (200g) almonds (already peeled) or almond flour; 8 oz (240g) icing sugar; 2 oz (50g) egg white (this is about 1½ the egg white of a medium-sized egg); 10 drops of almond essence (you can do without it, but then the marzipan will not be so fragrant)

What is marzipan? This sugar and almond paste is a fantastic dessert, a base for truffles, and the ”heart” of the German stollen cake

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What is marzipan? Are you looking for an easy marzipan recipe? You are in the right place! I will tell you how to easily and quickly prepare this delicacy, and then how to use it originally as an ingredient for other desserts.

So what is marzipan?

If to answer this question in a simple, dry and theoretical way, then marzipan is an elastic sweet paste made of almond flour and powdered sugar…

And now forget about the previous answer, close your eyes and imagine the most delicious dessert in the world. Have you imagined it? Well, marzipan is twice as delicious as the dessert from your imagination! Its taste vaguely resembles a sweet soft nut candy. Its fantastic almond aroma can easily captivate anyone and this yummy will not let you go anymore! You will become a marzipan lover forever… ha-ha…

The recipe for marzipan depends on the country and local traditions. But, in most cases, this dessert is made with just 4 ingredients and it comes together in 10 minutes!

Try it once and you will never want to buy ready-made almond paste again.

Marzipan or almond paste?

Both of them are very similar to each other. Both desserts are prepared from the same ingredients and the main difference is in the amount of almonds used.

Marzipan contains less almonds and more sugar. It can also contain rose water. This dessert is plastic, firm, and holds its shape perfectly. Therefore, it is often used for making candies, truffles, and cake decorations.

Almond paste contains more almonds and less sugar. It’s usually enriched with almond extract and it’s nuttier in flavor. Almond paste has a coarser texture and is used as a baking ingredient for cookies and pastries, and as a filling for baked sweets.

The recipe I will tell you about today is the golden mean between marzipan and almond paste.

Useful tips

This recipe is extremely simple. Still, I advise you to follow a few tips for a perfect result:

Don’t overprocess, otherwise, the almond flour will become oily.
I always use pasteurized egg whites for this recipe. You can use regular ones, but the eggs must be very fresh.
If your homemade marzipan is too wet and sticky, add some more almond flour. However, remember that it will firm up in the fridge! If, on the contrary, it’s too dry, add 1 or 2Tbsp of water.
Refrigerate it before use.

How to use marzipan

You can just cut it into slices and eat it on its own. It’s truly delicious! In addition, here are some more interesting ideas for you:

roll it in small balls and dip them in melted chocolate, or coat each one in cocoa powder – you will have delicious homemade truffles
use it as a filling for homemade chocolate candies (aka the most delicious candies of your life)
it’s a great covering for cakes and Christmas desserts (no sugar paste can be compared to marzipan when it comes to cake decorating)
marzipan is the sweet “heart” of the German Christmas stollen cake
add food coloring and mold it into fruits (you will get the world-famous Sicilian Frutta Martorana)
add it to cookies, muffins, and sweet tarts (you’ll get new and very sophisticated pastry)
wrap homemade marzipan in beautiful paper, decorate it with a bright ribbon and give it to your friends for Christmas (you cannot leave such a tasty thing just for yourself, you must definitely share it with others… right?.. LOL).

Ingredients

7 oz (200g) almonds (already peeled) or almond flour
8 oz (240g) icing sugar
2 oz (50g) egg white (this is about 1½ the egg white of a medium-sized egg)
10 drops of almond extract (you can do without it, but then the dessert will not be so fragrant)

How to make marzipan

Place the almonds in a blender bowl and grind to a flour consistency

Add the egg white and grind again with a blender until smooth. Transfer the mixture into a deep container, add powdered sugar and almond extract to it.

Mix well (as if you are kneading dough). Transfer the mixture to a surface sprinkled with powdered sugar and shape it into a “log” (the paste will be quite sticky). Form a “log”, wrap it in baking paper or plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge overnight (during this time, marzipan will firm up in the fridge).

Bon Appetit!

FAQ

How to store marzipan?

Wrap it in parchment paper or cling film and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze it?

Yes. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can I substitute the almonds?

You can make it with any nuts. Traditionally, this sweet is made from almonds. But you can use walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, or cashews. In Mexico, this dessert is made from peanuts.

Now you know what marzipan is and how easy it is to make it at home. Enjoy it on its own or use it to make homemade sweets. This almond paste will make any dessert sophisticated and unusual.

Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment with Star Ratings ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. I will really appreciate it.
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