Best Marzipan Recipes

MARZIPAN

Steps:

• Blend the confectioner's sugar, finely ground almonds, egg whites, salt, and almond extract in a blender until perfectly blended. Cover and chill until firm, 24 hours.

GERMAN HOMEMADE MARZIPAN

Steps:

• Place almonds in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for a few minutes until cool enough to handle. Slip the almonds out of their skins one by one, leaving the remaining almonds in the warm water. Drain almonds in a colander.
• Place almonds and confectioners' sugar in the food processor fitted with a metal blade and process to a paste. Add cold water, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon at a time, if the paste is too dry. Scrape the sides a few times to ensure even processing. Add a few drops of almond extract towards the end of the process. Process marzipan until it is smooth and no longer grainy. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in a cool, dry place.

EASY VANILLA MARZIPAN

Steps:

• Mix the sugars and almonds in a large bowl, then rub in the vanilla seeds until even. Make a well in the middle, then tip in the eggs and citrus juice. Cut the wet ingredients into the dry with a cutlery knife. Dust the surface with icing sugar, then knead the marzipan briefly with your hands to a smooth dough. Don't overdo it as the paste can get greasy. Add a bit more icing sugar if it seems too wet. Shape into a ball, then wrap and keep in a cool place until ready to cover the cake. Can be made up to 2 days in advance.
• Lift the cake onto a cake board or plate, then use a pastry brush to cover evenly with a thin layer of jam. Dust the work surface with more icing sugar, then roll the marzipan into a circle about 40cm across, dusting underneath the marzipan with more icing sugar and turning it a quarter turn after every few pushes of the rolling pin.
• Flip the top of the circle back over your rolling pin so you can see the underside of the marzipan, then lift the pin up and lift the marzipan over the cake. Stop once you can see that the edge of the marzipan nearest you is about level with the bottom of the cake. Flop the front of the marzipan down. Smooth the paste over the cake using the palms of your hands, then trim with a sharp knife. If any cracks appear, simply pinch the paste back together and smooth. Leave to dry for at least 24 hrs, or up to 3 days, before covering with icing.
• How long does homemade marzipan keep? Although homemade marzipan contains raw eggs, the amount of sugar, and lack of moisture, prevents bacteria growing when left at room temperature, so your cake should last for 1-2 months iced. The most important thing is that you don't scrimp on drying time - once you've covered your cake in marzipan it should be left to completely dry out, before you then cover it with icing. If you want to make marzipan before you are ready to cover your cake, then wrap it well in cling film and keep in a fridge for up to a week - as wrapped in a ball it will still contain a little moisture. As it contains raw eggs it shouldn't be given to anyone in an at-risk group, including pregnant women, the elderly, the unwell and the very young. You can make a cooked marzipan, which carries no risks. It is a little softer, and harder to work with, but a good substitute if you are at all worried.

STRAWBERRY JAM MARZIPAN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/3 cup brown sugar together in a bowl; press mixture into a 9-inch square pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 15 minutes.
• Spread strawberry jam to within 1/2 inch of edges of baked crust. Mix 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, and salt in a bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over jam layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.
• Whisk confectioners' sugar, milk, and 1 teaspoon almond extract together in a bowl until smooth; drizzle over cooled bars.

MARZIPAN BARS

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg yolk and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Press into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Spread with jelly. , For filling, combine almond paste, butter, sugar, egg white and vanilla in a bowl. Beat in eggs. Add food coloring; mix well. Pour over jelly layer. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. , For icing, heat chocolate and butter in a small saucepan on low until melted. Add confectioners' sugar and enough milk to make a smooth icing. Stir in vanilla. Immediately spread over bars. Cover and store overnight at room temperature before cutting.

MARZIPAN CANDY

Steps:

• Break the almond paste into small pieces over a medium bowl. Add 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar, and work it in with your hands until incorporated. It will be crumbly. Add another 3/4 cup of sugar, and work it in really well. Pour in the corn syrup, and work it in until evenly blended. Spread remaining sugar out on a clean work surface, and knead the dough until smooth and uniform, 3 to 5 minutes. If the dough seems too sticky, knead in more sugar. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about an hour. It should have the consistency of modeling dough.
• Break off small pieces of marzipan to color, kneading in color thoroughly until you arrive at the desired color. Then blend the colored pieces into larger portions of dough. Dust a work surface and rolling pin with confectioners' sugar, and roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using small cookie cutters to make candies.

MARZIPAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix butter and sugar in large bowl. Stir in flour and almond extract until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Divide into 3 equal parts. Tint and shape dough as directed below. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 300°F. Bake about 30 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Apples: Mix red or green food color into part of dough. Shape into small balls. Insert small piece of cinnamon stick in top for stem end and whole clove in bottom for blossom end. Dilute red or green food color with water and brush over apples. Apricots: Mix red and yellow food colors into part of dough. Shape into small balls. Make crease down 1 side with a toothpick. Insert whole clove for stem end. Dilute red food color with water and brush over apricots. Bananas: Mix yellow food color into part of dough. Shape into 3-inch rolls, tapering ends. Slightly flatten sides to make planes of banana; curve slightly. Paint on markings with mixture of red, yellow and blue food colors diluted with water. Oranges: Mix red and yellow food colors into part of dough. Shape into small balls. Insert whole clove for blossom end. Prick with blunt end of toothpick for texture. Pears: Mix yellow food color into part of dough. Shape into small balls, then into cone shapes, rounding narrow end. Insert small piece of cinnamon stick in narrow end for stem. Dilute red food color with water and brush on "cheeks" of pears. Strawberries: Mix red food color into part of dough. Shape into small balls, then into heart shapes, about 3/4 inch high. Prick with blunt end of toothpick for texture. Roll in red sugar. Insert small piece of green-colored toothpick or green dough into top for stem.

MARZIPAN BARS

Steps:

• Line 8 x 8 pan with pie pastry and cover the pastry with layer of raspberry jam.
• Blend butter and sugar thoroughly.
• Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
• Add rice flour and salt and beat well.
• Color 1/2 mixture a pale pink and other half green.
• Put spoonfuls of each mixture alternately on jam to cover.
• Bake in 350° oven for 35 minutes.
• Cool and ice with frosting.

MARZIPAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine marzipan, confectioners' sugar, egg white, and flour in a bowl. Knead into a smooth dough. Roll out to 1/3-inch thickness and cut into whatever shapes you like.
• Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and place cookies onto it. Allow to dry, 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Brush the cooled cookies with rose water.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN WITH ALMONDS & MARZIPAN

Steps:

• Soak the dried fruit in 100ml of hot water. Gently warm the apple juice for a few mins in a pan, then add the yeast and leave to activate for 10-15 mins (it will start to bubble).
• Put the flour in a bowl. Stir in the yeast and apple juice mixture to form a smooth dough, then cover and leave to prove somewhere warm until roughly doubled in size, about 1-2 hrs. You can also put the dough in the fridge to rise slowly overnight.
• Drain the fruit and add to the dough along with the nuts, spices and marzipan. Squish everything together, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the fruit stays in the dough.
• Shape the dough into a sausage shape and put it on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove somewhere warm for 30 mins-1 hr until it has risen by about a quarter.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the stollen for 20 mins, then reduce oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and bake for 25-30 mins more until golden brown and firm to the touch.
• Remove the stollen from the oven and brush all over with the melted butter. Dust with the icing sugar and leave to cool completely before slicing. Store any remaining stollen, well wrapped, in an airtight container.

MARZIPAN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter and flour a 9" cake pan.
• Cream the almond paste with the butter and sugar.
• Mix in the almonds.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly with almond extract and add to the creamed mixture.
• Combine the flour and baking powder and stir into butter mixture.
• Mix with a few strokes as possible.
• Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Do not over bake!
• Heat water and preserves and brush on the top of warm cake.

MARZIPAN CHRISTMAS KRINGLE (JULESKRINGLE)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together the milk and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let stand for 10 minutes to dissolve. Stir in cream.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt and cardamom. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or pinching with your fingers until it is a course mealy texture. Stir in the yeast mixture until well blended. Pat into a ball, flatten slightly, then wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
• To make the filling, mix the almond paste, almonds, sugar, cinnamon and almond extract using an electric mixer until evenly blended. It may be crumbly.
• Roll the chilled dough out into a 2 inch wide and 24 inch long rectangle. Spread the filling to within 2 inches of the sides and roll up into a tube. Cover your work surface with sugar, and roll the tube of dough in the sugar to coat thoroughly. Roll and stretch the dough out to form a long rope about 40 inches long. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a pretzel shape.
• Brush the top of the pretzel with egg white and sprinkle with almonds. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake the kringle in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into slices to serve.

ALMOND MARZIPAN COOKIE

Steps:

• Mash the butter into the flour in a mixing bowl with a pastry cutter or forks until it resembles small peas. Gradually add ice-cold water into the mixture, stirring lightly until the mixture is moist enough to form a ball. Place the pastry ball into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Mix almond paste, sugar, eggs, and almond extract in a separate bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate both mixtures 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Divide the pastry into 10 portions. Using a rolling pin, roll each portion into long strips measuring about 4x12 inches. Divide the almond paste mixture into 10 portions; use your hands to form each portion into a snake shape. Place each almond 'snake' into the center of each pastry strip. Fold the dough over and seal the seam, also closing the ends. A little water will help to hold the seal. Arrange the rolls seam side down onto the baking sheets. Cut slits into the rolls with scissors every 2 inches.
• Beat egg white and water together in a small bowl; brush over the pastry rolls to coat.
• Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside to cool completely before slicing.

HOMEMADE MARZIPAN

Steps:

• Combine almond flour and confectioners' sugar in a food processor; pulse until evenly mixed. Add almond extract and rose water; process until combined. Add egg white; process until a thick dough forms.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.

MARZIPAN

Steps:

• Combine almond paste, confectioners' sugar, and corn syrup in a large mixing bowl. You may need to work the mixture with your hands to ensure that it is well mixed. To prevent the mixture from drying as you work with it, rub hands with a light coating of vegetable shortening. Wrap tightly in plastic until ready for use.

OMA'S MARZIPAN STOLLEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar and yeast. In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add lemon zest; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., For filling, in a large bowl, beat almond pastry filling, almonds, milk and extract. Punch dough down; turn onto a floured surface. Divide into thirds. Roll each portion into a 15x6-in. rectangle. Spread each portion with a third of the filling to within 1/4 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long slide; pinch seam to seal. Place ropes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, make a 1/2-in.-deep cut lengthwise down the center of each rope, stopping 1/2 in. from ends. Keeping cut surfaces facing up, braid ropes. Pinch ends to seal; tuck under., Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Combine glaze ingredients to desired consistency; drizzle over stollen.

COCONUT AND MARZIPAN MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until foamy. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Combine marzipan with 1/2 of the confectioners' sugar and rub with your fingers until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add coconut, remaining confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and rum. Mix well. Fold in stiff egg whites.
• Using 2 teaspoons, drop small dollops of mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the macaroons are golden but soft to the touch, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Place 3/4 of the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate until melted.
• Dip 1/3 of each cooled macaroon into the melted chocolate. Set macaroons on waxed paper until chocolate has set. Store the macaroons in an airtight container, with waxed paper between the layers.

MARZIPAN CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE AND SLICED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Grease a 9-inch pie dish with butter. Add 1 tablespoon flour and coat the dish, shaking out any excess flour.
• Mix the almond paste and sugar on low speed in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix until well incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one has been fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour and mix just until combined. Pour into the prepared pie dish and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until just until scalding, about 3 minutes. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Let the ganache cool slightly so it is spreadable. Evenly frost the top of the cake with the ganache. Sprinkle the outer edges with the sliced almonds and decorate with the raspberries. Serve at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE AND MARZIPAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
• Combine 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in flour mixture until dough comes together; mix in vegetable oil and milk. Fold milk chocolate and marzipan into the dough.
• Drop spoonfuls of the dough on the lined baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are browned, about 13 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.

BÛCHE DE NOËL (FILLING, FROSTING & MARZIPAN MUSHROOMS)

Steps:

• For filling: Whip cream until light. Add sugar and extract & whip until heavy, adding stabilizer as cream whips. Unroll cake and spread with cream. Roll up filled cake & place it seam side down on a serving plate. For frosting: Melt chocolate in double boiler over simmering, very hot water (lightly boiling is fine but do not let the bottom of the pan touch the water). Add the marzipan to the melted chocolate and stir to blend. Add a few T of cream and blend further. When smooth, remove from heat and replace hot water with ice wather. The bowl can touch the water at this point. Using a hand mixer or heavy wire whisk,mix the frosting over the iced water until it gets cold and begins to stiffen. It should be stiff enough to hold it shape and not slide off the cake onto the serving plate but not so stiff that it won't spread. Spread frosting on cake using a knife dipped in water to keep the process going. Be careful not to tear the cake. When done, run the tines of a fork long-wise thru the frosting to simulate the look of tree bark. For the mushrooms: Roll marzipan into various sized small balls (around 1" in diamter).Push the blunt end of a chopstick or similar tool into one side to make space for a stem and to form the mushroom into the desired shape. Make stems by rolling small bits of marzipan between your two palms (like making clay snakes) and then "smush" the stem into the hole. Dip tops of mushrooms into cocoa powder or dust with cocoa by using a pastry brush. Make enough to give each person at least one mushroom with their slice of Bûche de Noël. When you make the mushrooms, be on the lookout for thieves. I keep an extra tube of marzipan on hand just in case I need to make more! Decorate the plate with seasonal greens, berries,pine cones and the marzipan mushrooms. Joyeux Noël a tous!