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Categories:Viewed: 43 - Published at: 4 years ago
Ingredients
- 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
- 1 pound marzipan paste, at room temperature
- Food coloring, for decorating
- Cloves, for decorating
Method
- 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.
- 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
