Make Marzipan

Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of ground almonds and some sweetener, usually sugar or honey. If you want to make marzipan from scratch, this article includes two recipes to make this delicious sweet found in cakes and candies. Marzipan is commonly used to create decorations on cakes, and we have included tips and a video for those who want to go that route, as well.

Ingredients

Uncooked

  • 200g ground almonds
  • 200g confectioners' sugar
  • 3 drops vanilla extract
  • 2 egg whites

Note: You want to use pasteurized egg whites in this recipe for safety reasons. Eating raw eggs can lead to food poisoning. You can find egg whites in the refrigerated section of your local grocery store.

Cooked

  • 200g ground almonds
  • 200g white sugar
  • 30g confectioners' sugar
  • 3 drops vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup of water
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 egg white

Steps

Uncooked

This method is best used for preparing modeling marzipan.

  1. Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl on top of the ground almonds.
  2. Add remaining ingredients. Mix to make a stiff paste.
    • You can use a little water mixed with brandy instead of the egg whites if you do not want to eat raw eggs.
  3. Knead until smooth.

Cooked

This method can also be used to prepare modeling marzipan, but the result will be stickier than the uncooked version.

  1. Cook sugar and water on low heat. Constantly stir until the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Add cream of tartar and bring the mixture to boil. The sugar should reach about 240˚F (116˚C). This is called the soft ball stage.
  3. Remove the mixture from heat. Mix until it turns cloudy. Add ground almonds and vanilla extract.
  4. Lightly whisk the egg white. Add it to the pan and put the mixture back on low heat. Stir for a couple of minutes.
  5. Dust the confectioners' sugar on a marble (or similar) surface. Pour the mixture over it. Work the two with a palate knife.
    • Tip: If the mixture is too sticky, add a little more confectioners' sugar.
  6. Cover mixture with plastic wrap and cool. Knead it until smooth once it has cooled down.



Tips

  • Use food coloring, candied fruit, chocolate drops etc. as features to add to your marzipan design.
  • If you have whole almonds with the skins still on, you can use them for these recipes. First, you blanch the almonds and then ground them in a food processor. Below is the link to on how to blanch almonds.
  • When working with marzipan, you can use corn syrup to soften your mixture.

Warnings

  • Raw eggs carry a high risk of containing salmonella, which is hazardous to your health.
  • When working with hot stoves, be careful not to burn yourself. Also, if something is hot and you are unsure if you should touch it with your bare hands, put the back of your hand near (not touching) the object. If it is too warm, wait a few minutes and then check again.

Things You'll Need

  • large heavy saucepan
  • spatula or palate knife
  • flat surface to knead the marzipan (e.g. marble slab, baking sheet)
  • plastic wrap (for storage)
  • cooking thermometer

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