Trust us: You're not the first person who has wondered, "What is marzipan? Or fondant? Even almond paste?" These three ingredients are almost one and the same, so find out what sets them apart.
If you often find yourself binge-watching baking shows like us (we love these Great British Baking Show copycat recipes), then you’re probably at least somewhat familiar with marzipan, fondant and almond paste. But when it comes to defining and differentiating them, that’s where things can get a little complicated—and that’s OK. These three baking essentials are oh, so similar, so it’s reasonable for home cooks to get confused. Read on for an easy-to-use description of each:
What Is Almond Paste?
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Almond paste is the most common of the three among non-professionals. (It’s a snap to make. Seriously, justtry out our recipe!)
Ingredients: Almond paste is composed of blanched ground almonds, sugar, glycerin—a sweet, thick liquid—and occasionally, almond extract for additional nutty flavor.
Taste and Feel: Almond paste is semi-bitter and coarser than its counterparts.
Uses:Almond paste is most commonly used as an ingredient or filling for sweet treats, such as bars, cakes and cookies (this Dutch Treats recipe is delish!).It is not enjoyed on its own.
Packaging:This product can be purchased in most supermarkets (and on Amazon) and is available in either cans or plastic packages.
What Is Fondant?
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There are two types of fondant: rolled and poured. You’d be hard-pressed to find a non-professional chef who uses poured fondant. In fact, most commercial kitchens purchase it ready-made because of the precision required in the production process. For this reason, we’ll be talking about the rolled kind.
(Want easy cake-decorating ideas? These are all you need.)
Ingredients:Fondant is a mixture of sugar, water and cream of tartar that is cooked to the soft-ball stage, which essentially just means it’s cooked until it reaches around 230°.
Taste and Feel:After cooling, beating and kneading, fondant becomes very pliable. It is not overly flavorful—naysayers will argue is not nearly as good as a buttercream alternative—but its taste is sometimes enhanced with clear vanilla.
Uses:This product is often used for decorative purposes or as candy centers. In addition to being molded into shapes, bows, etc., it can also be rolled into a sheet and draped over cakes as a sort of icing. Food coloring and flavoring are often added for aesthetic purposes.
Packaging:Fondant is commonly sold in tubs or plastic bags.
What Is Marzipan?
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Also called almond candy dough, marzipan is an agreeable, multi-purpose combo of the first two, with a subtle almond flavor and unmatched malleability. Be sure to try these marzipan cake recipes.
Ingredients:Marzipan is made up of almond paste (see above for ingredients), sugar, water and occasionally, unbeaten egg whites.
Taste and Feel:This ingredient is sweet, smooth and pliable.(Fun fact: It contains half the almonds and twice the sugar as almond paste, which explains why it’s so much sweeter.) It is also sometimes enhanced with spices such as vanilla, cinnamon or nutmeg.
Uses:In the U.S., marzipan is most commonly molded to look like ultra-realistic fruit, but it can be shaped into other decorations for confections or used as icing for cakes, similar to fondant.
Packaging:Marzipan is purchasable in many grocery stores (and online) by can, tub or plastic-wrapped log. Or in pretty pre-made shapes.
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FAQs
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.
Are fondant and marzipan the same? ›
Marzipan vs Fondant
For their differences, marzipan tends to be more pliable than fondant and is less likely to crack when being handled, making it easier to work with. Marzipan features a nutty subtle flavor that complements certain recipes while fondant is a more neutral sweeter alternative.
What is a substitute for marzipan fondant? ›
Alternatively, you can use a combination of powdered sugar and cream to create a smooth paste for fondant, or almond meal mixed with powdered sugar and egg whites for marzipan. These substitutes offer similar textures and can be shaped and molded just like white chocolate.
What's the difference between marzipan and almond icing? ›
Generally, almond paste will have roughtly equal proportions of almonds and sugar (plus other ingredients) and marzipan will have a higer ratio of sugar (up to 75% sugar) plus other ingredients.
What is a substitute for marzipan paste? ›
I also wouldn't recommend subbing almond paste for marzipan in a 1:1 ratio. However, you can make homemade marzipan from almond paste by adding corn syrup and powdered sugar or icing sugar, egg whites and almond extract.
Is almond paste the same as marzipan? ›
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.
What are the three types of fondant? ›
Fondant is an edible icing with a pliable texture that can be rolled, shaped and sculpted. It's most commonly used to decorate cakes, cupcakes and cookies. There are different types of fondant, including rolled fondant, pour fondant, chocolate fondant, sculpting fondant, marshmallow fondant and gumpaste fondant.
Can you put fondant on a cake without marzipan? ›
Do I have to ice a cake with marzipan first? Marzipan is there to form a layer between the cake and the icing, so that the colour from the sugars in the fruitcake doesn't seep through and stain it brown. If you don't like marzipan, you can use two layers of fondant instead.
Is marzipan more expensive than fondant? ›
Marzipan is usually much more expensive than rolled fondant. It often somewhat shiny/oily looking. It's used over fruit cakes to even out the surface for covering with sugarpaste (rolled fondant) or royal icing (often "softened" a bit by adding glycerine).
What is a good substitute for fondant? ›
Smooth buttercream coating
The first option when it comes to a fondant-free cake is to use buttercream to create a perfectly smooth finish around the outside of your cake which looks professional and chic, providing a similar aesthetic to fondant but without the intense sweetness that can come from using fondant.
Brush a little (cooled) boiled water over the marzipan and also the exposed board. (If you don't want to ice the board, then obviously don't wet it!) This is to make the sugarpaste stick. Lift and drape the sugarpaste over the cake, following the same process as the marzipan.
Does almond paste go bad? ›
The expected shelf-life for Almond Paste is 18 months in acceptable storage conditions.
Does marzipan melt when baked? ›
If the liquid wasn't completely absorbed during baking, the surface of the cake would remain over moist. This moisture will begin to dissolve any covering ie marzipan and sugarpaste.
Is marzipan the same as fondant? ›
Ingredients: The main difference between marzipan and fondant is in how they are made. Fondant is primarily made from confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, and water, while marzipan is made primarily from almond meal and water. This gives marzipan a slightly more solid texture, while fondant is more like traditional icing.
What is another name for marzipan? ›
Is almond butter and almond paste the same thing? ›
What is the difference between almond butter and almond paste? ANSWER:Almond butter is a spread made from finely ground almonds, offering a smooth and creamy texture. In contrast, almond paste has a coarser texture and is akin to almond candy dough, similar to marzipan but with less sweetness.
Does marzipan harden like fondant? ›
In my opinion, it is a lot richer and sweeter than fondant and a little goes along way so I would never cover a cake in it (plus I'd be worried about allergies) but it's great for decorations. It has more of the consistency of gumpaste in that it doesn't get to soft to work with and it gets very hard if you let it dry.
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