Best Marzipan Recipe prepared easily without eggs, no cooking involved, all natural with real flavors. This is our German basic raw marzipan mass which is further used in cakes, cookies candies. I have prepared some useful recipe suggestions too.
I prepared a video where I show you how to make easily marzipan almond paste from scratch. This recipe is vegan and without eggs.
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What is Marzipan?
Marzipan is a raw mass of flavored almond paste.
Whole almonds are peeled and reduced to a fine flour. This is then enhanced with sugar and flavorings such as Rosewater, Orange water, and bitter almond essence and turned into a tight mass which can be easily shaped.
The raw marzipan mass is further used to prepare candy, cookies, and cakes.
Marizipan Origins
Marzipan has been around since medieval times in Europe. Most probably, the sweet almond paste is even older than that.
Some cities in Europe claim to have invented marzipan, such as Toledo in Spain and Lübeck in Germany but you see you can’t copyright something which is as old and popular as the simple preparation of an almond paste.
Marzipan must have come from the near east where it was later introduced to Europe via the Arabs (trade, invasions), returning crusaders and trading Jews in central Europe.
It’s hard to pinpoint where it all started out, simply because all good things are always claimed by everyone and Marzipan is definitely one of those good things in this world.
Marzipan Ingredients
This marzipan recipe includes the following basic ingredients.
Almonds
I use whole almonds, these are peeled and turned into a homemade almond flour. Don’t use commercially available almond flour because the taste won’t be the same and will turn the raw marzipan recipe dry and dull. To make the best marzipan almond paste, you should use whole quality almonds, there is no way around it.
Pick super quality almonds. It makes the whole different at the end! If I could grow my own almonds, harvest the green fruits and decore the almond nuts, I would do that to create the ultimate most amazing marzipan raw mass.
Lucky us that we get to buy amazing quality almonds in the store!
Sugar
I use powdered sugar because it mixes easily into the homemade almond flour. Sugar is there to sweeten but also helps in the conservation of the almond paste, so to say to keep it good for a longer period of time.
In older times honey was used as a sweetener, which is a great idea too if you want your marzipan recipe to turn out all natural. I have done something like that with my honey marzipan candies.
The disadvantage of honey marzipan is that it tends to get harder faster in the fridge and it can’t be stored for that long. Whereas sugar marzipan tends to remain juicy soft for a longer period of time.
Rose water/ Orange water
Marzipan is usually prepared with rose water or orange water. It depends on the origin. For example, rose water is most commonly used in Germany, orange water would be a must in a french marzipan recipe.
The near east and in Asia in general rose water is usually used to prepare marzipan almond paste. Because rose water seems to be the norm I tend to prefer this over orange water. Yet both taste distinctively amazing in their own way. This is something for you to experiment with.
Almond Extract
Almond extract is one of those extra ingredients which you can live without but I can’t. In German-speaking countries, almond extract is usually added to prepare a raw marzipan mass. What they use exactly is bitter almond extract.
Bitter almonds cannot be consumed the way we consume the normal sweet almonds, but they are turned into a bitter almond extract.
When adding bitter almond extract to the Marzipan recipe ingredients, it enhances and brings out all the other ingredient flavors. It turns your homemade marzipan into something you can’t stop enjoying.
You can skip this ingredient, however, if you want to prepare the best ever marzipan recipe, then don’t and just buy some bitter almond extract. You won’t regret it.
Other ingredients and marzipan recipe variations
Some marzipan recipes are cooked and egg whites are added. This is supposedly needed when you want to use your marzipan as a cake coating. The egg whites turn the marzipan more flexible and hold the mass together. I have avoided the egg whites in my marzipan recipe.
Besides almond, also pistachios can be used to prepare marzipan. The word and meaning for marzipan is not limited to almonds alone.
Instead of flower blossom waters, such as rose water and orange blossom water, you can also add cognac or rum to your marzipan recipe.
Homemade Marzipan vs Commercial Marzipan
Homemade Marzipan doesn’t include odd preservatives and is not as sweet. Commercially available marzipan tends to be finer in texture and can be kept for a longer period of time.
Each has their advantages, but the homemade marzipan tastes authentic and so much better. In college in Austria, we were not allowed to use commercial marzipan, we had to make our own from scratch.
How to make Marzipan raw mass? [Video]
So while, it’s more time consuming to prepare homemade marzipan, it is but tastier and not that difficult to prepare. Peeling the almonds is what takes time (just outsource this mindless activity to your kids or your husband while they watch TV).
Because my marzipan recipe is a homemade uncooked vegan version without eggs, you save time preparing the almond paste. Just grind the almonds fine, mix with the other ingredients, form to a sticky shape. Done!
A powerful mixer/grinder will be your best friend and will make the difference because you need to grind the almonds as fine as possible. Almonds are oily and if your mixer can’t take it, you won’t get a good result.
Uses for Marzipan raw mass/ Recipe Ideas:
Marzipan Cookies:
- Bethmännchen Cookies – Bavarian Marzipan based Cookies (German)
- Petit Fours Cookies – Marzipan cookies (French)
- Poppy Seed Marzipan Sandwich cookies with plum jam by cinnamonandcoriander.com
- Nürnberger Elisenlebkuchen cookies – authentic Lebkuchen Gingerbread from Nuremberg city in Bavaria (German)
- Hausfreunde Cookies by lavenderandmacarons.com
Marzipan Cakes:
- Yule Log – Buche de Noel Christmas Roll (French)
- Marzipan Stollen by lavenderandmacarons.com
- Marzipan used as a layer of fondant
- Almond Coffee Cake by foodfolksandfun.net
- Tarte Amandine with Pears by pandemoniumnoshery.blogspot.com
- Dutch Christmas Log by lavenderandmacarons.com
Marzipan Candy:
- Marzipan Figurines and Confects such as for New Year or Valentine’s marzipan hearts, and marzipan fruits to decorate cakes or to enjoy as a candy
- Calisson Marzipan Candy – Orange flower water almond paste specialty from Aix en Provence (South French)
- Natural Honey Marzipan (old way recipe with whole almonds)
- Marzipan Truffles by cookingjourneyblog.com
- Mozart balls – Pistachio Marzipan candy with nougat and other ingredients turned into a candy specialty from Salzburg (Austrian)
- Marzipan Chocolate – dipped into dark or white chocolate
BEST Marzipan Recipe – Basic Almond Paste below:
- 250 grams ( 2 cups, 9.2 ounces) Whole Almonds
- 100 grams (2/3 cup or 3.52 ounces) Powdered Sugar
- 1-2 Teaspoon Rose Water (*see Notes)
- a few drops Bitter Almond extract (optional)
- Soak your almonds in water. You can either a, soak overnight or b, speed up the soaking time by soaking the almonds in hot water for at least 30 minutes. Almonds need to be soaked so that you can peel the almonds, otherwise, you can't peel them.
- Peel your almonds (this is the time-consuming part, outsource this activity to your loving family members).
- Dry your almonds. Tap them dry, then let them dry in the air, sun or dry in the oven for 20 minutes at 100 Celsius/ 210 Fahrenheit. This is important because otherwise, you can't grind your almonds into a flour.
- Grind your dry peeled almonds into a fine flour.
- Place the homemade almonds flour into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, rose water and bitter almond extract.
- Mix the content and shape to a marzipan mass. I keep it in a brick shape.
- Wrap into cling film and keep refrigerated until further use.
2. Use Rose water or Orange blossom water. Some people add rum or cognac instead to prepare different marzipan variations.
3. You must adjust the amount of rose water added. Start by adding a teaspoon. Add only more if you feel the paste is too dry. It depends on your almonds and how oily your almonds are. Sometimes my almonds paste is fine with 1 teaspoon of water, sometimes I need to add little more. The marzipan shouldn't turn out too soft and wet!
4. You have the option of adding bitter almond extract to the marzipan raw mass. I always add it, it's a secret ingredient and will turn your marzipan in the best almond paste! This is the bitter almond extract that I use, it's the most used extract and the one most people use in Germany/Austria.
Dear Reader, what are you planning to prepare out of this marzipan mass? How are you using marzipan?
Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with us in the commetn section further below!
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I’ve never made marzipan at home, but I can see that it’s not difficult at all and I need to make it one day, especially since I love using it in my recipes. Thank you for including my recipes in your roundup!
I totally got inspired by your collection of recipes with marzipan. It’s such an underrated healthier sweet outside of the German-speaking area.
Marzipan recipe is looking yum. You explained each and every ingredient very clearly, loving it. I am surely going to try this recipe.