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.
2 cups Whole Almonds
Peel your almonds (this is the time-consuming part, outsource this activity to your beloved 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 max 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. Use a powerful blender for the best result.
Place the homemade almonds flour into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, rose water, and bitter almond extract.
2 cups Whole Almonds, ⅔ cup Powdered Sugar, 1-2 Teaspoon Rose Water, few drops 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.
Video
Notes
Use quality almonds for the best result, do not use commercially available almond flour, it's too dry and dull in flavor.
Use Rosewater or Orange blossom water. Some people add rum or cognac instead to prepare different marzipan variations.
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 a little more. The marzipan shouldn't turn out too soft and wet!
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 into 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.