Marzipan also known as almond paste is made from 5 ingredients: almonds, caster sugar, eggs, icing sugar and almond extract. The egg yokes in the recipe gives the marzipan a rich yellow colour, so try to use free-range eggs to try and get a nice yellow marzipan. The marzipan can be used to make decorations for cakes or it can even be grated and added in tarts/pies to provide a powerful almond flavour. If you want to create different flavours of marzipan, you can add orange zest, vanilla extract or even rose water.
I like making my own marzipan as I know what has gone into it, there are no additives added to it when you make your own marzipan. The marzipan can be stored in the fridge for several weeks, do not leave the marzipan out of the fridge, as the egg yolks in the marzipan will go off and ruin the taste of the marzipan.
Ingredients:
Marzipan:
225g Ground Almonds
225g Caster Sugar
225g Icing Sugar
4 x Egg Yolks
6 x Drops of Almond Extract
1. In a large mixing bowl add the ground almonds and caster sugar. Mix the ingredients together so they are all evenly distributed.
2. Add the egg yolks and almond extract into the bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon. Make sure you are careful when adding the almond extract, you do not want to add too much as this will ruin the taste of your marzipan.
3. Keep on mixing until a soft ball forms. Lightly dust a work surface with icing sugar and then place the marzipan on the work surface.
4. Knead the marzipan 2-5 times to make it smoother however, do not over knead as this will release the oils from the almonds making the marzipan greasy.
5. Wrap the marzipan in cling film and place in the fridge.
Covering a cake with Marzipan
1. Remove the marzipan from the fridge and lightly dust a work surface with icing sugar.
2. Roll the marzipan out so it is 5cm larger than the diameter of your cake. While rolling the marzipan keep on lifting the marzipan so that if does not stick to the work surface. Also rotate the marzipan as it is being rolled out so that the marzipan has an even thickness.
3. To give the cake a cleaner look, brush the cake with warm apricot jam. This will prevent cake crumbs from appearing in the marzipan.
4. Roll the sheet of marzipan around a rolling pin. Then unroll the marzipan over the top of the cake.
5. Smoothen the top of the cake using a rolling pin. Then using your hands smooth out the marzipan around the sides of the cake. Using a knife trim always the excess marzipan from the base of the cake.