Marzipan
Marzipan is a traditional British recipe for a classic sweet, savoury and nutty paste made from a blend of sugar, almonds, brandy and egg that is typically used as a covering for celebratory cakes, but which can also be formed into fanciful shapes for decoration. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Marzipan.
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
20 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
Serves:
20+
Rating: 
Tags : Cake RecipesBritish Recipes
Marzipan is readily available commercially, but the yellow blocks of commercial marzipan truly cannot compare with the taste and texture of the real, home-made equivalent. Once you have tasted 'real' marzipan you will never go back to shop-bought again.
Ingredients:
270g icing sugar
90g caster sugar
280g blanched
almonds
2 tbsp brandy or sherry (or, as needed)
1 large egg
Method:
You will need to render the almonds into as fine a powder as possible. This is easiest done in a coffee grinder, but you can also use a food processor. Slowly add the almonds, about 60g at a time. As they break up and form a stiff paste in the bottom of the grinder stop and scrape this out into a bowl. Continue this process until all the almonds have been ground. It there are any solid lumps remaining, or any bits of unbroken almonds return to the grinder and process again.
Break up any stiff masses and add the caster sugar. Rub the mixture through your fingers until uniform. Remove any large pieces of un-ground almonds and discard. Sift the icing sugar over the top and stir well to combine.
Meanwhile, break the egg in a heat-proof bowl and beat with he brandy or sherry to combine. Set the bowl over a pan of hot water and cook, stirring all the while, until the custard starts to thicken. Pour the custard into the almond mixture and work into the nuts until the mixtures combine.
You will need to work the mixture for quite a while, until the sugar dissolves and the almonds release their oil. By the end you should have a smooth, workable paste (if the mixture truly is too dry then add a drop more brandy). By the end the mixture should mould very easily. When you roll it into a ball it should readily keep it's shape. If it's too soft to do this, add a little more ground almonds.
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