Photo from tlc.com
Modeled Marzipan is a unique delicacy that has delighted Europeans for centuries. It is shaped by hand, rolled and cut out with cookie cutters or made with marzipan molds into colorful fruits, animals and other shapes and then dried. Hand-modeled figures need about up to 24 hours to dry, depending on the size and humidity of the weather. Marzipan shapes can also be purchased.
Shapes can be painted with moistened gel or paste colors or food coloring (let air dry for about two hours before doing), rolled in a cocoa-powdered sugar mixture or dipped in melted chocolate, preferably tempered chocolate or just melted chocolate chips, mixed with a small amount of shortening. NOTE: You can use our other Marzipan Recipe, instead.
FROSTING, ICING, ETC RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
16 oz (1 pound) Almond paste; homemade or store bought
2 large egg whites; DO NOT USE RAW — make from pasteurized powdered egg whites
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups (1 pound) powdered sugar, sifted; measure and then, sift
ASSEMBLY:
Cloves
Whole egg whites DO NOT USE RAW — make from pasteurized powdered egg whites
Food coloring, paste
Kirsch — or vodka
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
Sugar, red
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Break up almond paste in large bowl. Or, you can use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a food processor fitted with a paddle (plastic) attachment.
2. Add egg whites and almond extract and mix thoroughly. If you a stand mixer or food processor, pulse it.
3. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, kneading well after each addition; add enough sugar to make a solid, heavy dough. If you a stand mixer or food processor, pulse it.
NOTE: The mixture is quite sticky and hard to handle at first, but as you add sugar, it dries and becomes workable.
STORAGE
At this point you may store the dough for up to 7 days by wrapping in plastic and storing in plastic bag in fridge. Bring to room temp and knead again before using.
MARZIPAN FRUITS: break off 1-inch” balls of marzipan and shape to look like lemons, oranges, apples, pears, and strawberries. too much while you are shaping balls, chill briefly in fridge.
Shaping tips:
Lemons and oranges: roll on fine grated to create pebbly texture; insert cloves, star-shaped ends up, for stem ends.
Apples: indent tops, insert cloves pointed ends up to represent stems.
Pears: insert cloves pointed ends up for stems.
Strawberries: shape little flat marzipan stars to make caps; attach caps with cloves and a dab of egg white.
COLOR FRUITS: Use small, soft paintbrush and paste food coloring diluted with a little kirsch. Mix colors (a mini muffin pan makes a good palette) and paint each fruit completely. Don't forget to paint the strawberry caps green. Place painted fruits on wire rack to dry overnight; turn occasionally so they dry evenly.
GLAZE FRUITS: in small saucepan, stir together water and corn syrup to make glaze. Bring to boil, remove from heal, and allow to cool until just warm. Brush warm glaze on red part of each strawberry; sprinkle with red sugar and place on wire rack to dry overnight. Brush warm glaze on each fruit and let dry overnight on wire rack. When glaze is dry on strawberries, paint glaze on strawberry caps and let dry overnight. Put marzipan fruits in paper candy cups and store in airtight container. Brightly colored marzipan fruits are so festive and pretty, somehow they suit the holiday perfectly.
Orange: Mix orange marzipan and a bit of green. Form a ball the size of a walnut. For texture, roll ball over the small holes of a grater. Add a clove as a stem for oranges, peaches etc.
Apple: Form an apple from a walnut sized piece of red, yellow or green marzipan. Add a clove and a piece of green marzipan as a leaf.
Pear: Use yellow and brown combined in a marbled effect. Add a clove off center of the tip of the pear.
Carrot: Use orange marzipan mixed with a bit of green marzipan. Make a ball and roll one end to form a cone. Continue to roll and form a carrot. Finish with a clove and a piece of green paste for the leaf at the large end of the carrot.
Strawberry: Using red marzipan, make a ball and roll end to form a cone. For texture, carefully roll the strawberry over the medium-sized holes of a grater. Finish with a clove and a leaf at the large end.
Raspberry: Form a ball with a marble-sized piece of red marzipan. Roll on the small holes of a grater and make an indent in the center with a skewer stick or unsharpened pencil.
Banana: Use a large ball of yellow and a tiny piece of green marzipan to form a ball. Roll the middle of the marzipan to elongate the shape. Form a slight curve and score lines along the length of the banana. When dry, paint with brown and green.
STORAGE
Store marzipan shapes after drying in airtight container placed in a cool, dry place. Dry painted shapes on rack before storing. Undipped (in chocolate or fondant) candies can be eaten or if still pliable from not being dried and stored, used over and over again for decorations.
