Marchipane? BLECCHH!

[TheAuldGrumpReturns]

I have to admit being completely immune to the addictive qualities of almond paste. Residue of having made way too much of the stuff for a ren faire.

Almonds themselves on the other hand, especially in cookies.... (Gobble, munch, cookie monster type noises as an entire bag vanishes in a scene reminiscent of a cow being skeletonized by pirahna.)

The Auld Grump, who hasn't seen that bag of cookies, no sir....

[Ucchan]

I have heard the name Marzipan elsewhere, but I never really knew what it was. So it's an almond paste? Where is it made? Where can everybody buy it (I want to try some too)?

~Ucchan, being link-crazed today

[Darth Paradox]

Marzipan is usually available at World Market type places - really, any place where they have imported food (chocolate and such). Marzipan is usually either found in German chocolate, or on its own, sculpted into shapes. Either way, more likely than not it's imported from Germany, or possibly other European countries.

Marzipan is ground almonds mixed with sugar and probably a few other things, like maybe some liquid (water, most likely, but maybe milk) and possibly eggs. Not sure exactly.

[TheAuldGrumpReturns]

Marzipan recipe

Marzipan has been used for centuries by pastry chefs all over the world. It can be used in baking and for covering and filling cakes. Marzipan looks fabulous for colorful cake decorations and figurines. Marzipan has to have at least 25 % almonds otherwise it is considered almond paste.

A thin layer of Marzipan can be used to cover a cake. Colored it can replace the need for frosting. It is also used under Fondant, much like apricot glaze to protect the Fondant from moisture.

Both recipes call for extra fine ground blanched almonds. In commercial bakeries the almonds are finely grounded by passing them through granite rollers. The finer the almonds the better your results will be.

The uncooked Marzipan is kneaded together until smooth and is then stored in an airtight container or plastic bag over night.

For cooked Marzipan add the sugar to the water in a saucepan and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Add the almonds and cook it until the batter stops sticking to the pan. Remove from heat and place onto a marble slap, wooden board or a sheet pan. While still warm knead first with a wooden spatula and then by hand until smooth. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag.

Marzipan can be softened by adding small amounts of syrup to it, if too soft add additional powdered sugar to it.
Basic Recipe:
Marzipan uncooked

1/4 pound ground blanched almonds
1/4 pound powdered sugar
1 egg white
1/4 tsp. salt

Marzipan cooked

3 cups sugar
1 cup water
4 cups ground blanched almonds


This isn't the recipe we used, which had the spelling 'marchipane' and called for grinding the almonds with a mortar and pestle... Nowdays most blenders and food processors can do the job much better. This is a much saner way to make it, trust me...

You can also form it over an armiture of gingerbread to make things like swans. Its really sweet and doesn't really go with the gingerbread taste wise, but an awful lot of awful recipes were made to look good rather than taste good.


The Auld Grump - Could be worse, one of my grandfathers used to reminisce about drinking almond extract during prohibition...

[TheAuldGrumpReturns]

I have heard the name Marzipan elsewhere, but I never really knew what it was. So it's an almond paste? Where is it made? Where can everybody buy it (I want to try some too)?

~Ucchan, being link-crazed today

Those were...disturbing....

The Auld Grump, now traumatized

[Ucchan]

Thanks a lot Darth, Auld One.

I have heard the name Marzipan elsewhere, but I never really knew what it was. So it's an almond paste? Where is it made? Where can everybody buy it (I want to try some too)?

~Ucchan, being link-crazed today

Those were...disturbing....

The Auld Grump, now traumatized

Eek! Those were not meant to disturb at all, but to entertain. Well, you gotta love that theme song! 8)

~Ucchan

[Wheeeeeee!]

I've heard of it being made with honey as well.

And I personally love it. Mmmmmmm.

[Ucchan]

Was the marzipan Charles eating today (Jan. 7) cooked or uncooked? And can you buy it either way? Whatever way Charles found it, the marzipan would have won.

~Ucchan, who should try to make her own from the Auld One's recipes

[Nick Pavlovski]

Whatever way Charles found it, the marzipan would have won.

~Ucchan, who should try to make her own from the Auld One's recipes

I can't believe Charles lost like that!
Especially when Steve was employing the Smile of Evil Intent TM while handing the marzipan around!

He'd better extract some sort of revenge - love shaving Steve so he doesn't have that fly haircut....

[Zephulos]

Revenge, we'll see. Remember, I do write the comic...
And stay the hell away from my hair! I have yet to exact full revenge against the last person who messed it up.
Although, it is getting towards haircut time. In a major way.
Also, you guys know waaaaaay too much about marzipan. I've only tried making it once. Umm... I need practice. Usually I'm a good cook, but alas, my ninjabaking skillz failed me.
My recipe calls for rosewater. Go figure.

~Z~

[Maniacal Eyes 910]

Revenge, we'll see. Remember, I do write the comic...
And stay the hell away from my hair! I have yet to exact full revenge against the last person who messed it up.
Although, it is getting towards haircut time. In a major way.

*bwahahahahahahahahaha*

[TheAuldGrumpReturns]

Revenge, we'll see. Remember, I do write the comic...
And stay the hell away from my hair! I have yet to exact full revenge against the last person who messed it up.
Although, it is getting towards haircut time. In a major way.
Also, you guys know waaaaaay too much about marzipan. I've only tried making it once. Umm... I need practice. Usually I'm a good cook, but alas, my ninjabaking skillz failed me.
My recipe calls for rosewater. Go figure.

~Z~

Rosewater and honey? That sounds like the recipe we tried. Honey makes it about a hundred times harder to make, and sticks to EVERYTHING! I've also seen recipes that use sugar, but call for a honey glaze.

Am I corect in assuming that Darth Paradox is not immune to the soul destroying sweetness that is MARZIPAN? (Way to sweet for me, but I have a friend who eats honey straight out of the jar, I may have to try marzipan on him...)

The Auld Grump, who really shouldn't be awake...

[Darth Paradox]

Er. My devourance of the better part of a box of marzipan was what inspired this series in the first place.

[TheAuldGrumpReturns]

I knew the marchipane was driving me crazy when I started fantasizing ways to decoct cyanide from peach pits and mixing it with the ground almonds...

The Auld Grump, peach pits work well in an almondine too...

[Darth Paradox]

Whatever way Charles found it, the marzipan would have won.

~Ucchan, who should try to make her own from the Auld One's recipes

I can't believe Charles lost like that!
Especially when Steve was employing the Smile of Evil Intent TM while handing the marzipan around!

He'd better extract some sort of revenge - love shaving Steve so he doesn't have that fly haircut....

It's worth noting that although Charles has a better grasp than Steve on theoretical and abstract issues, Steve is far more capable of planning and executing a complex plan. Furthermore, the full scope of this plan has not yet been revealed.

Steve would make an excellent evil genius, I'll say that. Further, he doesn't have the propensity to be long-winded and gloatful enough to let his nemesis destroy his work. He prefers to gloat during and after painful execution, not before.