Marzipan | Description, Ingredients, & Preparation (2024)

FAQs

What is marzipan made of? ›

Marzipan is typically made from finely ground blanched (skinless) almonds, confectioners' sugar, egg whites and almond extract to intensify flavor.

Marzipan is a light, candy-like mixture made by mixing finely-ground almonds with sugar, corn syrup and egg whites. Some say it originated in Persia, but others claim it came from Germany, Spain, Italy or France.

Almond paste has twice the amount of almonds in it compared to marzipan, making it coarser in texture and less sweet than its counterpart. Their consistency also differs as marzipan is smooth and pliable, almost clay-like, while almond paste is somewhat gritty and spreadable, almost like a cookie dough.

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.

INGREDIENTS: Sugar, Almonds (25%), Glucose Syrup, Water, Invert Sugar Syrup.

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.

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.

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.

Does Niederegger marzipan always contain alcohol? Yes. The alcohol content of our raw marzipan mixture is less than 1% on manufacture and decreases further during storage. This percentage conforms with the permissible levels for products such as apple juice, kefir, sauerkraut or alcohol-free beer.

You can use a layer of fondant icing instead of marzipan if you wish. Royal icing is sold in white, but is easy to colour at home using gels (liquids can change the texture).

Can you eat marzipan on its own? ›

Marzipan is also sold on its own as a candy. One of the most common versions is marzipan fruits, sold in a tray like chocolates, shaped and dyed to look like tiny lemons, oranges, apples, and so on.

Marzipan is smooth, sweet, and often dyed and molded into shapes. It's also used to cover sweets much like fondant and is sometimes eaten as is.

The Role of Almonds in Marzipan's Flavor

The almonds used in marzipan are typically blanched and finely ground to create a smooth and creamy texture. This process unlocks the natural oils and flavors of the almonds, resulting in a rich and distinct nuttiness that defines marzipan.

Marzipan is also sold on its own as a candy. One of the most common versions is marzipan fruits, sold in a tray like chocolates, shaped and dyed to look like tiny lemons, oranges, apples, and so on.

The almonds in marzipan give it a slightly nutty taste and create a rich, vaguely creamy flavor. However, marzipan is not overly bitter, the way that almond milk or whole almond nuts can be. Instead, the sweetness gives marzipan a taste similar to almond liqueurs, like Amaretto or Amendoa, but without the alcohol burn.

Commercially produced marzipan contains around 28% almonds and 21 grams sugar per 2 tablespoons so it's sweeter than almond paste. Because marzipan is stiff, it lends itself to be cut out or shaped three-dimensionally for candies shaped like fruits, or for cake and pastry decorations.