Easy vanilla marzipan
By Jane Hornby
Cooking time
Prep: 20 minsSkill level
EasyServings
Covers a 20cm/8in cakeIt's worth having a go at making your own marzipan to cover your Christmas cake - and you can experiment with adding different flavours
Nutrition and extra info
Nutrition
- kcalories
- -
- protein
- -
- carbs
- -
- fat
- -
- saturates
- -
- fibre
- -
- sugar
- -
- salt
- -
Ingredients
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 280g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for kneading and rolling out
- 450g ground almonds
- seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ tsp orange or lemon juice
- 3 tbsp apricot jam, warmed then sieved
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Method
- Mix the sugars and almonds in a large bowl, then rub in the vanilla seeds until even. Make a well in the middle, then tip in the eggs and citrus juice. Cut the wet ingredients into the dry with a cutlery knife. Dust the surface with icing sugar, then knead the marzipan briefly with your hands to a smooth dough. Don’t overdo it as the paste can get greasy. Add a bit more icing sugar if it seems too wet. Shape into a ball, then wrap and keep in a cool place until ready to cover the cake. Can be made up to 2 days in advance.
- Lift the cake onto a cake board or plate, then use a pastry brush to cover evenly with a thin layer of jam. Dust the work surface with more icing sugar, then roll the marzipan into a circle about 40cm across, dusting underneath the marzipan with more icing sugar and turning it a quarter turn after every few pushes of the rolling pin.
- Flip the top of the circle back over your rolling pin so you can see the underside of the marzipan, then lift the pin up and lift the marzipan over the cake. Stop once you can see that the edge of the marzipan nearest you is about level with the bottom of the cake. Flop the front of the marzipan down. Smooth the paste over the cake using the palms of your hands, then trim with a sharp knife. If any cracks appear, simply pinch the paste back together and smooth. Leave to dry for at least 24 hrs, or up to 3 days, before covering with icing.
- How long does homemade marzipan keep? Although homemade marzipan contains raw eggs, the amount of sugar, and lack of moisture, prevents bacteria growing when left at room temperature, so your cake should last for 1-2 months iced. The most important thing is that you don't scrimp on drying time – once you’ve covered your cake in marzipan it should be left to completely dry out, before you then cover it with icing. If you want to make marzipan before you are ready to cover your cake, then wrap it well in cling film and keep in a fridge for up to a week – as wrapped in a ball it will still contain a little moisture. As it contains raw eggs it shouldn’t be given to anyone in an at-risk group, including pregnant women, the elderly, the unwell and the very young. You can make a cooked marzipan, which carries no risks. It is a little softer, and harder to work with, but a good substitute if you are at all worried.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2008
Comments, questions and tips
Comments
Great recipe! I had never made marzipan myself before but this really did do the trick for my cake this year. Again, like others have mentioned, there was far too much and ended up having to throw a lot away, which was a shame. The texture was great, although I would have liked a slightly stronger almond taste. I will definitely be using this recipe again in the future, but may alter how much almond I put in.
i was a little worried about making this as the wife loves marzipan, so i left a little out once i had made it.... she ate the lot 5* no worries will def make again just finnished baking cake so cant wait to use and taste properly.
definatly easy never realized how easy marzipan is to make, will never buy again.
This was really easy to make but
a) did indeed make way too much for your average Christmas cake and
b) didn't have much of a vanilla taste to it.Having said that it had just the right texture, and its mild flavour really complemented the Simmer-&-stir Christmas cake. If I make it again, I think I might trying adding some grated citrus peel.