Special Ingredient: Marzipan (2024)

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Ostensibly very European yet quietly very American in composition, this festive wintertime treat has comforting flavors that find compatibility in malt, roast, and chocolate.

Joe StangeFeb 19, 2022 - 7 min read

Special Ingredient: Marzipan (1)

Photo: Gresei, Shutterstock

I hadn’t tasted marzipan until I was an adult, the first time I visited Germany. I hadn’t encountered it before then. The Germans go nuts for the gently sweet, toothsome, clay-like paste made from almonds—and so does most of Europe, where it’s almost ubiquitous, especially around the holidays.

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. However, our paste exists on a marzipan spectrum that includes French pâte d’amande and countless variations with slightly different ingredients around the world.

Whatever you call it, our North American traditions generally don’t include it.

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Special Ingredient: Marzipan (2024)

FAQs

What ingredient is added to sugar when making modeling marzipan? ›

What is marzipan made of? The primary marzipan ingredients are almonds (blanched and ground) and powdered sugar. Then there are several regional recipe variations, including adding almond extract to enhance the flavor, rose water, and even raw egg whites.

What is so special about marzipan? ›

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.

What nut is marzipan made from? ›

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.

What is the most important when working with marzipan? ›

Keep a bowl of icing sugar handy. Not only will you use it to knead and roll out your marzipan on but it will stop your fingers from getting sticky when making models. Do not use cornflour. The two can react together to create mould and cracking in the marzipan.

What is real marzipan made of? ›

Marzipan is 1 part ground almonds and 2 parts confectioners' sugar. Almond paste is made from equal parts almond and sugar, so it is less sweet. The two ingredients are not in interchangeable in recipes; however, in a pinch, you can turn almond paste into marzipan by adding some sugar and egg whites.

What is the chemical in marzipan? ›

The marzipan/almond aroma of benzaldehyde was readily recognized; however, its acetal was described as herbal, oregano-like, and solvent-like, with no marzipan notes.

What is golden marzipan? ›

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.

Who makes the best marzipan in the world? ›

The World's Finest Marzipan

Lubeca has been producing marzipan since 1904. The company continues to use traditional methods of production and is recognized by bakers, pastry chefs and chocolatiers as one of the leading producers of high quality almond paste marzipan.

What gives marzipan its taste? ›

What Does Marzipan Taste Like? Marzipan has a nutty flavor derived from the almonds in the mixture and can be very sweet.

Should I freeze marzipan? ›

A: If you have only used part of a packet of marzipan and have no immediate use for the left overs, you can tightly wrap the unused marzipan in freezer bags and freeze for up to 6 months. If your packets are unopened you will probably find you don't need to as marzipan naturally has a long shelf life.

Do you refrigerate marzipan? ›

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.

How to harden marzipan? ›

Marzipan hardens fastest when exposed to air, so you could even leave it out on your countertop if you're really in a hurry. Cover it with plastic wrap to protect it from dust in the air. Light exposure can also be great for drying out marzipan.

What is an interesting fact about marzipan? ›

This delicacy is made from natural selected almonds, which ensures that all the beneficial substances inherent in almonds are preserved. The word “marzipan” is derived from the German word “Marzipan” or the Italian word “marzapane.” It is believed that the name was given in honor of St. Marcus.

Can marzipan be eaten raw? ›

Marzipan can be eaten raw and is used to make candies, ice cakes, or as a filling. Almond paste is similar to marzipan, but it has more almonds and less sugar.

Is marzipan healthy? ›

1 Because marzipan is based on almonds, it is a sufficient content of vitamin E, in fact, as in the walnut. This vitamin in nature is a very powerful antioxidant and helps to fight stress and nervous tension.

What is marzipan sugar? ›

Marzipan is a candy or a confection made of almonds and sugar or honey as a sweetener, plus flavorings such as almond oil or almond extract, rose water, or orange blossom water. Commercially produced marzipan often contains additives and preservatives such as glucose syrup, invertase, or sorbic acid.

What is superfine sugar? ›

Superfine sugar: Also called baker's special sugar, extra-fine, or caster sugar, this is granulated sugar that has been finely ground so the crystals are smaller. As a result, it dissolves easily and is an excellent choice for meringues, egg foams, and simple syrups.

What can I use instead of icing sugar to roll out marzipan? ›

I've just converted to using cornflour as I find the icing rolls out better and doesn't stick.

What is the German sweet treat marzipan made from? ›

German marzipan is made by grinding whole almonds with sugar and partially drying the paste, and French marzipan (called 'massepain') is made by combining ground almonds with sugar syrup. Some marzipan is flavoured with rosewater. Spanish marzipan is made without bitter almonds.

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