Redawna, Okay, I admit I read a lot of posts on the boards~I saw your post about marzipan. I was looking at different recipes for it, then I found the site below…I think you will like it!
be sure to check out this site~lots of marzipan videos!
Maybe you will like to make your own marzipan? Personally, I would never eat it~I don't particularly like to eat just plain almond paste. Anyway, I haven't ever tried to make my own marzipan, but here are a few internet recipes if you want to try!
tick-tock it is getting close to time to make the houses, isn't it! I just came home yesterday with my 25 lbs. of powdered sugar($14.00 at Gordon's-great price, huh) Now that the grandkids are addicted, I need to be ready! lol
Linda
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Marzipan is great by itself, when dipped in chocolate, or when combined with fruit or nuts. If you have only one marzipan recipe, Basic Marzipan is the one you need. Using this as a base, you can color, flavor, or form marzipan into many different candies or decorations. Marzipan is often used to make decorations for cakes, like flowers, ribbons, animals and human forms. If you're simply looking to eat the marzipan, cutting it into squares is the easiest way to serve it.
Basic Marzipan
Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
4 cups ground almonds (or almond meal)
2 egg whites
Powdered sugar for dusting
Preparation:
1. Prepare a workspace by sprinkling powdered sugar over a marble slab, wooden cutting board, or large baking sheet. Fill your sink or a large bowl with cold water.
2. Place the sugar and 2/3 cup water in a large heavy saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
3. Add the cream of tartar and turn up the heat. Bring to a boil and cover, boiling, for 3 minutes.
4. Uncover and boil until the temperature reaches soft-ball stage, 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.
5. Place the bottom of the saucepan in the cold water you’ve prepared, stirring the sugar mixture constantly until it becomes thick and creamy.
6. Stir in the ground almonds and the egg whites, the place back over low heat and stir for 2 minutes more until the mixture is thick.
7. Spoon the marzipan onto your prepared work surface, and turn it with a metal spatula until it cools down enough to touch.
8. Coat your hands in powdered sugar and begin to knead the marzipan, working it until it is smooth and pliant.
9. Your marzipan can now be used immediately or stored by wrapping it in plastic wrap and keeping it in an airtight container.
Marzipan Recipe courtesy Gourmet Magazine
Show: Sara's Secrets
Episode: Trompe L'Oeil Food Gifts
1 pound blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
3 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons vanilla
3 to 4 cups confectioners' sugar
In an electric coffee grinder, grind the blanched almonds in small batches into a fine powder. Sift the powder through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Regrind any almond particles remaining in the sifter. In a bowl whisk the egg whites with the salt until they are frothy, whisk the vanilla, and stir the mixture into the almond powder. Sift in 3 cups of confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, kneading the mixture together in the bowl, and sift enough of the remaining 1 cup sugar to form a smooth, pliable dough (add more sugar if the dough is too sticky). Quarter the dough and wrap each piece tightly in foil. The marzipan paste keeps, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 8 weeks.
Marzipan fruits:
1 pound marzipan paste, at room temperature
Food coloring, for decorating
Cloves, for decorating
Work with 1 piece of marzipan at a time, keeping the remaining marzipan covered tightly. Pull off a piece of marzipan paste, form it into a smooth ball by rolling it between the palms, and shape it gently into the desired shape. (Wipe hands occasionally with a damp cloth.)
To achieve the texture of citrus fruit roll the marzipan shape over a fine grater or sieve. A small wire loop may be pressed into the back of the thickest part of the marzipan if the marzipan is for hanging.
Let the marzipan dry on sheets of foil overnight and with a large soft watercolor brush dipped in the food coloring, tint it as desired. If a shading effect is desired add the second coat of coloring before the first coat dries.
Let the marzipan dry on foil for 2 days and with a fine soft water color brush dipped in the food coloring add any fine details desired. Wooden picks, broken into small pieces and colored with food coloring, may be used to form the stems of fruits. Cloves may be used to form the blossom end of fruits such as apples and pears. White paper may be cut and colored with food coloring to form the leaves for fruits, or any small leaves may be used.
After the marzipan has had its final coat of food coloring let it dry on sheets of foil for1 day. The marzipan keeps, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 8 weeks.
Yield: 25 small marzipan shapes
Commercial marzipan is more frequently used for modelling as it is less coarse and less sticky than home made marzipan, therefore easier to work with. Here are some marzipan recipes for all those who want to try and make their own marzipan at home.
Marzipan recipe 1: Uncooked home made marzipan
(this marzipan recipe is good for preparing modelling marzipan)
500g (16 oz) sifted icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
450g ( 1lb) ground almonds
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla flavoring marzipan book
1 tsp lemon juice
Sift the icing sugar in a bowl with the ground almonds. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to make a stiff paste. Knead until smooth. (As a substitute to raw eggs it is possible to use a little water mixed with brandy to bind the paste).
Marzipan recipe 2: Cooked home made marzipan
(this marzipan recipe is good for preparing modelling marzipan but it will turn out slightly stickier than the uncooked marzipan)
225g (8oz) granulated sugar
180g (6oz) ground almonds
40g (11/2 oz) icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
pinch of cream of tartar
1 egg white, lightly whisked
5 tbsp water
1\2 tsp vanilla extract
Put the sugar and the water in a heavy based saucepan and cook on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add cream of tarter and bring to the boil until the sugar reaches 116oC (240oF)- soft ball stage. Remove from the heat and mix the mixture until it turns cloudy, then add ground almonds and vanilla extract. Add to the pan the egg white and return to a low heat and stir for a couple of minutes.
Place the icing sugar on to a marble surface and pour over the mixture. Work in the icing sugar with a palate knife. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap until cooled. Once cooled knead the mixture until smooth.