Marzipan is known as confectionery paste. It is commonly referred to as almond candy dough and is prepared from almonds that can be sculpted into sweets or used as a cake frosting. It has a consistency that is similar to clay and is simple to work with. Although marzipan variants may also be found in French and German baking, this beloved dessert is frequently used in British baking recipes. Most foreign supermarkets have marzipan, which is either in a tub or wrapped in plastic.
How to Make Marzipan?
Almonds, sugar, and a binding solution are the main ingredients in every marzipan recipe, however, there are other variations available. Persipan is similar to marzipan but produced from apricot or peach kernels rather than almonds, it is sometimes used as a substitute for it in cases of nut allergies.
The following are some common marzipan recipe options:
- Egg whites, powdered sugar, ground almonds without the skin, and almond extract
- Corn syrup, powdered sugar, and almond paste
- Unbeaten egg whites, sugar, water, and almond paste
- Glucose syrup, sugar, ground almonds, and egg whites (optional)
- Blanched ground almonds, sugar, and starch or sorbitol
Recipe for Homemade Marzipan
1. Boiling water should be used to cover 1/2 pound of almonds.
2. Wait until it cools down.
3. Pull the skin from each nut by pinching it.
4. Drain any extra liquid from the skinless almonds.
5. Place the almonds in a food processor
6. Over the almonds, sprinkle 2 cups (16 oz) of powdered sugar.
7. Run the processor until the mixture is well-blended.
8. Scrape the sides, then run the processor for an additional minute.
9. Add 2 egg whites to the mixture
10. Blend until the mixture turns into the consistency of clay.
11. Add any more spices to improve the flavor, along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of almond essence.
12. Use the mixture right away or cover it with cling film and refrigerate it after removal from the bowl (the mixture can be stored for up to 2 weeks)
The finished product should provide a malleable, white dough with speckles that are suitable for a variety of confectionery delicacies.
How to Use Marzipan?
Marzipan is offered as logs that may be sliced, rolled, and then covered in chocolate before being formed into various fruits, vegetables, or little animals. It is an instant component that can be shaped into anything you want with food-safe colors, much like modeling clay.
It may also be used to cover a cake like a fondant. In the United States, marzipan is frequently molded like little carrots and used as decoration on top of carrot cakes.
Other varieties of ways to use Marzipan are:
- Used as frosting on cakes and cupcakes after being rolled out into a sheet
- Added in cookie and biscuit recipes to make nutty marzipan cookies
- Carved into decorations for cakes or marzipan candies, such as fruits, animals, ribbons, etc.
- Because of the neutral color of marzipan, it is simple to dye and paint with edible paint.
- When making chocolate-covered marzipan candy, it serves as the sweet center.
Other Four Uses for Marzipan
Marzipan candy can be made as a stand-alone treat or combined with traditional cakes as a sweet treat. The delicious delicacy with the characteristic almond flavor is frequently used for the purposes listed below:
1. Mold into a candy
Marzipan candies are the most well-liked way to consume the almond-flavored sweet, ranging from elegant, dark chocolate-coated truffles to miniature marzipan fruits and vegetables dyed with food coloring.
2. Add to cake
Marzipan cake is the ideal treat for you if you enjoy treats that are sweeter. You may use the almond-flavored confection to make chocolate marzipan cake or elevate a straightforward spiced Christmas cake. You may also create the traditional Swedish princess cake, a well-liked celebration cake with a light-green marzipan top layer.
3. Make fruit breads
During the holiday season, marzipan shines in marzipan stollen, a variation on German stollen, a yeasted fruit bread studded with dried fruits, nuts, and spices and cloaked in powdered sugar. German marzipan is made into a loaf form and distributed as a gift during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
4. As a garnish
Due to its texture, marzipan is a perfect material for cake decoration, such as the forest design on a bûche de noel cake.
What Does Marzipan Tastes Like?
The flavor of marzipan is quite sweet and nutty. Because of the ground-up of almonds, it has a soft, chewy, and somewhat rough feel. Because marzipan from Europe sometimes contains a type of almond called a bitter almond (which cannot be imported into the United States), it sometimes has a little bitter flavor.
How to Cover a Cake with Marzipan?
You do not need to apply marzipan or almond paste exactly unless you want a flawless fondant finish or crisp royal icing edges. Otherwise, follow these easy steps:
1. Brush your cake with warmed and strained jam (light-colored jams, such as apricot, work best).
2. Roll out a generous amount of marzipan to the thickness of a pound coin on an icing sugar-dusted work surface (there should be plenty of overhangs).
3. Use your hands to smooth the marzipan into place after lifting it over the cake.
4. Get rid of any extra marzipan.
It is recommended to let the marzipan dry before adding icing. One to five days might pass between now and then, with homemade marzipan often requiring longer than store-bought. When it feels dry, it is finished (it will feel quite oily at first). If you are in a hurry, you may skip this step, but if you preserve the cake for a long time, the oils in the marzipan may cause the frosting to get discolored.
Five Types of Marzipan
There are many marzipan variations around the world:
1. Persipan
Powdered apricot, peach pits for almonds, and Persipan, which substitutes bitterness, are also made in Germany. Persipan contains a high sugar content (60%) to counteract the pits’ bitterness.
2. Massepain
While French-style massepain uses sugar syrup as its sweetener, German-style marzipan uses crushed almonds and sugar to make a paste.
3. Goan
Easter eggs are frequently created from the cashew-nut marzipan from India’s beachside Goa.
4. Mazapán de pili
In the Philippines, ground pili nuts are used as a substitute for almonds while making marzipan. Egg yolks, sugar, and butter are combined with makapán de pili to make biscuits that resemble macaroons.
5. Mazapán
Instead of almonds, marzipan made in Latin America uses peanuts. For local holidays, sweet food is frequently made into candy.
Can Marzipan be used in Wedding Cakes?
There are countless options when choosing your wedding cake. However, a conventional wedding cake will always be a classic option.
A traditional wedding cake is typically a fruit cake, covered in marzipan and icing, and presented in tiers. While couples may now be more creative with their wedding cakes and choose an alternative wedding cake, the classic wedding cake still has a very important position in modern weddings.
Conclusion
Marzipan icing is a type of confectionery paste that can be used to create sweets as well as cake frosting. It is easy to work with and mold. It can be a great option for making a unique wedding cake.