Homemade Marzipan

Recipe by Camilla Wynne
7 Reviews 2.9 out of 5 stars

This boiled marzipan recipe produces a soft, moldable almond confection with a long shelf life. Amplify the delicate flavor by adding almond extract, citrus zest, or even freeze-dried fruit, then show off your artistic side by coloring the marzipan and shaping it into charming marzipan fruits. With just a couple of household items, like a small paint brush and a paring knife, you can make peaches, pears, lemons, and oranges, perfect for giving as gifts or using to decorate cakes, tarts, and other desserts. 

Prep
35 mins
Total
35 mins
Yield
a generous 1-pound of marzipan
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Homemade Marzipan - select to zoom
Homemade Marzipan - select to zoom
Homemade Marzipan - select to zoom
Homemade Marzipan - select to zoom
Homemade Marzipan - select to zoom

Instructions

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  1. To prepare, dust a heat-resistant work surface (marble, stainless steel, wood, or a silicone baking mat on the countertop) with confectioners’ sugar. Fill a large heatproof bowl halfway with cold water; this will be used to help quickly cool the marzipan once it reaches the desired temperature. 

  2. In a large pot (that will fit in the bowl with cold water), combine the sugar, cream of tartar, and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring gently at first to dissolve the sugar. Cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 240°F on a candy or digital thermometer.  

  3. Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and place the bottom of the pot in the bowl of cold water. Gently stir the mixture with a sturdy heat-proof spatula until it slightly cools and becomes opaque and creamy, a couple minutes. 

  4. Stir in the almond flour and egg white. Return the pot to the stove and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and homogenous. It should reach at least 161°F to pasteurize the egg white. 

  5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared surface, dust your hands with confectioners’ sugar, and knead the confectioners’ sugar into the mixture until smooth and pliable (if very hot, use a heat-proof spatula or wear latex gloves). 

  6. Use the homemade marzipan immediately (see "tips" below for details on making marzipan fruits) or wrap tightly in plastic and store in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 2 months.  

Tips from our Bakers

  • To make fruits: Divide the marzipan into portions based on how many fruits you'd like to make (e.g. if you'd like to make an equal amount of all four fruits, divide the marzipan into quarters). One batch of marzipan will make about 26 pieces (21g each) total; work with one uncolored portion of marzipan at a time. Keep the marzipan covered with plastic wrap or a tea towel to prevent it from drying out while making fruits. Once shaped, fruits will keep, covered at room temperature, for at least one week. You’ll need food coloring, whole cloves to make stems, and tools for shaping the marzipan fruits like toothpicks and paring knives. 

    • Orange: Knead in orange (or red and yellow) food coloring until homogenous in color. Roll one small piece into a ball, then use a toothpick to make shallow depressions all over, mimicking an orange’s pocked skin. Set it down, pressing lightly to flatten the bottom so it stands upright. Use the back of a paring knife to indent a cross at the top for the calyx of the orange. Remove the ball end of a whole clove by crushing it with your forefingers. Insert the clove “stem” into the center of the calyx to complete the marzipan orange. 
    • Lemon: Knead yellow food coloring into the marzipan. Roll one small piece into an oval, delicately pinching each end. Use a toothpick to make shallow depressions all over, mimicking a lemon’s pocked skin. Remove the ball end from a whole clove by crushing it with your forefingers. Insert the clove “stem” into one end to complete the marzipan lemon.
    • Pear: Knead green (or blue and yellow) food coloring into the marzipan to make a pale green. Roll a small piece into an oval, then roll the top third between your fingertips to elongate. Set it down, pressing lightly to flatten the bottom so it stands upright. Remove the ball end of a whole clove by crushing it with your forefingers. Insert the clove “stem” into the narrow end at the top of the marzipan pear. Use a small food-safe brush to paint the marzipan pear with green and/or red food coloring to create a mottled effect. 
    • Peach: Knead orange (or red and yellow) food coloring into the marzipan to make a pale peach color. Roll a small piece into a ball then use the back of a paring knife to imprint a shallow midline down one side. Set it down, pressing lightly to flatten the bottom so it stands upright with the line vertical. Insert a fennel seed into the top for the stem. Use a small food-safe brush to paint the peach with diluted red food coloring to create a blush effect.

  • To color a full (or half) batch of marzipan, rather than individual fruits, we find it easiest to add food coloring at the beginning of the process. If using powdered plant-based food colors, whisk the packet with the sugar (in step 2), then whisk in the water and cream of tartar and proceed with the recipe. (Start with half a packet for a lighter color; use a full packet for a rich color.) If using gels, natural or otherwise, add gels to the syrup immediately once it’s reached 240°F and before you plunge the pot into the cool water. 

  • At King Arthur, we don’t use artificial food dyes in any of our products, and we avoid calling for them in our recipes. When coloring a large amount of marzipan, however, artificial dye provides control and vibrancy that we haven’t been able to replicate with natural color. 

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