marzipan
Some people — like my husband who claims it “tastes like medicine,” — fail to see marzipan’s charms but you won’t find any of these misguided souls on my side of the family. My mother loves marzipan, and not those little food dye brushed animals and fruits; she does not wish to eat miniature sculptures, just rolls and rolls of marzipan swaddled in bittersweet chocolate.
Whenever she makes it into the city, my mother gets her beloved Marzipan Rolls from the esteemed Li-Lac Chocolates, a place so old, my parents went there back before they were married in 1968. (Don’t you love making jokes about how old your parents are? It’s like clinging to that last thread of evidence that you could possibly still be young.) Li-Lac is one of those Village gems, a place that’s been making chocolate the same way since 1923, from a big copper kettle in the back, on marble countertops, by hand and with minimal brouhaha. There’s no color-schemed boxes lined with velvet or gold, nothing is ever pre-packed, and yes, you can actually buy one piece at a time for those of us that love quality but fear quantity. Two years ago, after the rent on Li-Lac’s Christopher Street location of 81 years was tripled, they moved eight blocks north to Jane Street, which has really only made it easier for Alex and I to sneak down there. We love the place so much, we gave out boxes of their round flavored truffles as wedding favors. They were better than the cake, but shouldn’t that go without saying?
So among the gift candies I alluded to last week was my attempt to make a tin of homemade chocolate-covered marzipan candies for my mother. For weeks, I browsed hundreds of marzipan recipes from all sorts of non-reputable sources, finally admitting that while I had the idea, I didn’t have the formula and would have to go it on my own gut. In other words: panic! But it all came together better than I’d imagined. I whirled blanched, whole almonds in the food processor for a few minutes, until the warmth of the machine moved them from powder to almost an almond butter, or yum. I heaped in a serious amount of powdered sugar, a hefty pinch of salt and a big spoonful of almond extract, which is what really pulled the flavor together. From here I paused, as it seemed the majority of recipes called for egg whites as a binder, but I wanted these to be good at room temperature for weeks, like the real ones. I ended up going with Emeril’s suggestion of corn syrup, and while it seemed to work, I’m not sure I added enough.
Lacking candy molds, I pressed pieces into a funny ice cube tray we have, letting them sit for a day or so before dipping them in my very first attempt at tempered chocolate. I would not call it a success. The pieces were too cold, too crumbly, the chocolate immediately seized up around them and well, it was a mess and I couldn’t successfully coat all of their sides. But — and yes, it has taken me nearly a week to be able to say something this upbeat about the experience — it tastes exactly like the real deal, if not better. So, while I may need some tweaking and re-technique-ing when I attempt these again a very long time from now, it’s hard to call these failures when each and every sample bite I took (for research, of course) left me filled with excitement of the most ‘duh’ variety! “They taste like chocolate covered marzipan!” More importantly, mom agrees.
Marzipan
As I mentioned, this was only my first time making this, but the flavor was spot on. I found the texture too crumbly to hold up when impaled on a fork and dipped into chocolate (fantastically simple chocolate-tempering instructions can be found here), but fine if you just wanted to shape the pieces. Either way, a little more “goo” — corn syrup — couldn’t hurt.
I haven’t yet made a batch with the more traditional egg whites as a binder, but do let me know if you try it, or have a technique of your own to share.
8 ounces blanched almonds
1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon almond extract
4 tablespoons corn syrup
Grind the almonds in a food processor for about two minutes: it will first become crumbly, and the crumbs will get successively smaller until it is more of a fine powder. Keep it going through this stage, and when it nearly forms clumps, that’s when you’ve got it right.
Add the confectioners’ sugar and almond extract, then the corn syrup, processing until well-combined.
Turn the mixture out onto a work surface and knead until it makes a smooth dough. If the dough seems too sticky, knead in a little more confectioners’ sugar. If it seems too dry, add more corn syrup. At this point, the dough can be tightly wrapped in foil and refrigerated until needed.
I first made marzipan from medieval recipes using nothing but almonds, sugar, and rosewater. The rosewater is wonderful, but even better (when I started experimenting) was orange flower water. I highly recommend it.
Yeah marzipan! Yeah LiLac chocolates! LiLac: yeah for chocolate covered pretzel’s, the highly airconditioned shop, purple flowers everywhere, counter staff who actually know what they’re selling, green marzipan wrapped around giandujapaste and rolled in bittersweet chocolate!
I love marzipan. Out of the jar, inside candy, you name it. I even love the little look-alike candies in Germantown on 86th street.
Two great tastes….I love chocolate and almond, just a swell combination. I could eat a couple of those….
Chocolate-covered marzipan is practically a national dessert in Germany. The best of the best there is from a small family company called Sawade (pronounced Zah-vah-deh) in Berlin. I’ve never been able to find it here in NYC, but on my trip home next week, I’ll be stocking up for sure… :)
Oh YUM. These look delicious. A friend of mine made some pignoli cookies recently and they were so good. I love almond… the smell of almond flavor makes me swoon! I wish there were more things to be had out of almond flavor / smell / taste. I need to make these I think!
Hahaha Almond Joy!
I adore Marzipan. I must try this. Thank you:)
I’ve been reading your posts for awhile, and you have really inspired me to be a little more experimental in the kitchen!
After all the references to sweets and lattes/Starbucks, I feel compelled to warn you that Starbucks is carrying a Sugar Free Cinnamon Dolce syrup in January! As a barista who drinks lattes all day, I can’t handle the overwhelming amount of sweetness in the cinnamon-roll flavored syrup, but I thought someone reading this post may get excited!
Your husband may not like it, but I’m sure he’d agree that your photos you took of your Marzipan experience are beautiful! Nice job :)
What did your mom think?
Skud - In my recipe hunt, I saw rosewater suggested often but I couldn’t quite match the flavor with the taste of marzipan I know. Also, though it’s never done anything to me, I’ve never cared for the floral-y taste of rose or orange flower water. I’m so difficult, I know. But I’m so glad you can attest to it’s perfection — perhaps this will get me over it, yet.
Shuna - Of course you love Li-Lac! You have fabulous taste. But Germantown? Does that still exist? I must investigate.
Luisa - That explains it. Mom’s family is from Germany, though she never lived there, she must have been born predisposed with a hankering for it. Now I must obsessively track down Sawade, possibly an even better present than homemade! Thanks for the idea.
Emily - Ooh, that sounds delightful, but I’m terrifically bland with my lattes — skim, no foam, one sugar — I have no doubt others will gobble it up though!
Kristan - Mom loved it. Of course, she has to say that she did, in the same way moms have to say that they always wanted two daughters when they get them (hee). But on this, I really really believe her.
Hmm…. I’ve never had marzipan, like ever. I’ve only seen it in the pretty little fruit form and people always say “Don’t eat that!” so I haven’t. This looks pretty good though.
Your mother is one lucky gal! I think the ice cube tray was an inspired idea. These look loverly! Gad I wish I could have helped you with this “research”. hehehe
Deb, are you skilled or what?? :D
Those marzipans look so lovely. Seriously. I even feel like trying to prepare them myself. I used to eat a lot of marzipan when I was a child - my German grandmother loved them.
I’m with Alex on that one. Marzipan? Blech! But I’d be interested in hearing more on the dos and don’ts of tempering chocolate!
Mmmm…I’m crazy for marzipan! I’ve made it before with agave nectar instead of corn syrup and it worked great! I just bought a cheesy looking, but cheap “Chocolate Heaven” chocolate pot on Amazon for $14.00 …keeps the chocolate the perfect temperature for candy making or fondue.
I couldn’t get my almonds powdery in the food processor, more like almond meal. Did you have to process it a really long time? I was worried about the motor.
Whoops! That’s what I get for skimming the recipe! Saw you processed for 2 minutes. Hmmm…I’ll have to try it again.
Hey Deb!!
Marzipan is an extremely healthy sweet! Those blanched almonds are soo good for the mind, eyes and hair…it is often recommended to eat a couple of those everyday during exam times! of course the health factor is really highlighted if you replace corn syrup with some clarified butter, because clarified butter speedens up the almonds’ effects! Also if you want to avoid the ‘blech’ factor, you could saute the almond (powder form) with the sugar and clarified butter (or some really good quality butter) in a saucepan/wok on a very low heat, stirring it continuously, till it turns to a darker shade of cream and let it cool before shaping them.
Yours look great!!! I want to make them soo badly now!!!
It is an old tradition here in Norway, where I live, to make marzipan for Christmas and easter. In my family we use almonds (preferably grinded by hand), powdered sugar and eggwhite. Some times we add a small drop of cognac too. It tastes absolutely fantastic!