logo for gingerbread-house-heaven.com
Home
Share Your Photos
Photos
Step-by-Step
Patterns
Free Patterns
Template Photos
Recipes
Icing Recipes
House Construction
Decorating Ideas
Haunted Houses
Candy Windows
Lighted Houses
Kits
Supplies
Edible Clay
Fondant
Gum Paste
Marzipan
Edible Creations
Contests
Video Demos
Gingerbread Men
Ginger Recipes
Quotes
Bakeries
Links
Gingerbread Blog
Question?
What do YOU want?
Search
Contact Us

[?] Subscribe To
This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Add to Newsgator
Subscribe with Bloglines
Subscribe to our Free Newsletter!

E-mail Address


First Name (Optional)

Then

Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure.
I promise to use it only to send you Gingerbread Heaven.
LEFT for gingerbread-house-heaven.com
 

Our Favorite Marzipan Recipe

This marzipan recipe is easy and delicious... and a terrific way to make memories with your kids. Marzipan is also great for decorating delicious and beautiful cakes.

Just the word Marzipan is kind of magical to me. The excitement in our house when my Mom said "We're making marzipan!," was so much fun.

What's not to love? Marzipan modeling is like playing with playdough except that you can eat it... and it's delicious! An almond-tasting candy in fun shapes and colors.

marzipan fruit

My brothers and I would compete to make the most realistic-looking fruit shapes.

marzipan animals

I'm not really sure why marzipan candies are commonly shaped into fruits but, according to Wikipedia's history of marzipan, it's a long-standing tradition in many parts of the world. Interestingly, several regions claim to be the originators of marzipan candy.

Another tradition in some regions is modeling marzipan animals, like these adorible marzipan pigs.

Marzipan is also used to cover cakes for extra tastiness. Because it's pourus, marzipan would dry out if it were the top layer on a cake, so a thin layer of fondant is usually applied on top for it's crisp smooth appearance. Here you see a pastry chef working with a ball of marzipan dough and then applying it to a cake after rolling it thin.

marzipan dough marzipan on cake

Try our favorite marzipan recipe and make your own creative almond-flavored decorations.

Marzipan Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Almond Paste
  • 2 Tablespoons White Karo Syrup
  • 1/2 cup Marshmallow Cream
  • 2 cups Powdered Sugar

Steps (how to make marzipan):

  1. Combine the almond paste, karo syrup, and marshmallow cream.
  2. Add the powdered sugar a small amount at a time.
  3. As the mixture becomes too thick to stir, knead in the rest of the powdered sugar until you have a pliable dough.
  4. If it's too sticky to work with (especially if hand-modeling,) add powdered sugar until it's firm but not dry.

Marzipan Tips:

  • Marzipan can be molded by hand, like playdough, rolled flat and cut out with cookie cutters, or it can be pushed into candy molds to make easy and consistent shapes (the marzipan pigs above were made this way.) Chill the marzipan in the mold to make it easier to remove from the mold.
  • You can mix this marzipan recipe with a small amount of fondant to make a lighter colored dough with less of a strong almond flavor.
  • Paint details with food coloring to make your marzipan figures more realistic. For instance, a little brown coloring on half of a pear, streaks of brown down bananas, redish-orange painted on 1/2 of an orange colored peach.
  • Cloves make perfect stems for many fruits.

Here are a few more photos for inspiration. See this page for photos of others' marzipan creations. Try marzipan modeling for yourself and don't forget to send us your photos!

marzipan bunny marzipan fruit


Return Home from marzipan recipe page.


footer for gingerbread houses page