Marzipan Frosting Recipes

APPLE BUTTER ROLLS WITH HONEY MARZIPAN FROSTING

Steps:

• For the rolls: Combine the milk, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in a bowl and swirl together. Let sit until foamy on top, about 5 minutes.
• Combine the cinnamon, salt, cardamom and 3 1/2 cups flour in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Whisk together the eggs, oil, honey and vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir the yeast mixture and oil mixture into the dry mixture and then knead, either on a work surface or with the dough hook, adding up to 1 cup more flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky, 15 minutes by hand and 7 to 10 minutes by mixer. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• For the filling: Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and roll it out, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking, into an 18-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread it with the apple butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon and almond paste. Roll up tightly starting from a long end (so that it results in an 18-inch-long roll), and pinch the edges to seal. Cut into 12 rolls and place in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Or cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour, then go right to preheating the oven.)
• When ready to bake, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and loosen the plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature until puffy, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat the egg with a splash of water in a cup. Remove the plastic wrap from the baking dish and brush the rolls with the egg wash. Bake until the rolls are lightly browned and have an internal temperature of 190 degrees F, 35 to 40 minutes.
• For the frosting: Meanwhile, blend the blanched almonds in a food processor, scraping the sides occasionally, until creamy and spreadable, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the honey, almond extract, salt and lemon zest and continue to blend (it may clump together at this point, and that's okay) as you drizzle in the milk. Blend until creamy. (This can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.)
• When the rolls come out of the oven, spread them with the frosting, sprinkle with the sliced almonds and serve.

MARZIPAN

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the almond paste and beat just to break up the almond paste some. Add about 1 cup of the sugar and mix until it is incorporated. Add the remaining sugar and beat until incorporated. The mixture will look like coarse bread crumbs at this point. Add the corn syrup and mix to combine well. The mixture will still be very crumbly.
• Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface and knead until it makes a smooth dough. If the dough seems too sticky, knead in a little more confectioners' sugar. The dough can be tightly wrapped and refrigerated at this point. If you want to color the marzipan, break off the amount of dough you want colored. Add a drop and knead in. For more intense color, add more food coloring. Shape into desired shapes.

MARZIPAN

Steps:

• Blend the confectioner's sugar, finely ground almonds, egg whites, salt, and almond extract in a blender until perfectly blended. Cover and chill until firm, 24 hours.

FIVE-MINUTE MARZIPAN

Steps:

• 1. If using a stand mixer: Combine the almond paste, confectioners' sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the brandy in the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until everything is completely incorporated and the dough is smooth and pliable, about 5 minutes.
• If using your hands: Form the almond paste into a flat round on your work surface. Dust half of the confectioners' sugar over the round and begin kneading it into the paste, folding the paste over on itself repeatedly. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the brandy over the dough and knead it in. Once it's incorporated, dust the remainder of the sugar over the dough and knead until it's completely incorporated.
• 2. The dough should be uniform and pliable. If it's dry, add a few more drops of flavoring (or warm water) and knead until it's at the desired consistency; if it's sticky, a little more confectioners' sugar.
• Store marzipan, wrapped very well in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for at least 3 months.

MARZIPAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix butter and sugar in large bowl. Stir in flour and almond extract until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Divide into 3 equal parts. Tint and shape dough as directed below. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 300°F. Bake about 30 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Apples: Mix red or green food color into part of dough. Shape into small balls. Insert small piece of cinnamon stick in top for stem end and whole clove in bottom for blossom end. Dilute red or green food color with water and brush over apples. Apricots: Mix red and yellow food colors into part of dough. Shape into small balls. Make crease down 1 side with a toothpick. Insert whole clove for stem end. Dilute red food color with water and brush over apricots. Bananas: Mix yellow food color into part of dough. Shape into 3-inch rolls, tapering ends. Slightly flatten sides to make planes of banana; curve slightly. Paint on markings with mixture of red, yellow and blue food colors diluted with water. Oranges: Mix red and yellow food colors into part of dough. Shape into small balls. Insert whole clove for blossom end. Prick with blunt end of toothpick for texture. Pears: Mix yellow food color into part of dough. Shape into small balls, then into cone shapes, rounding narrow end. Insert small piece of cinnamon stick in narrow end for stem. Dilute red food color with water and brush on "cheeks" of pears. Strawberries: Mix red food color into part of dough. Shape into small balls, then into heart shapes, about 3/4 inch high. Prick with blunt end of toothpick for texture. Roll in red sugar. Insert small piece of green-colored toothpick or green dough into top for stem.

MARZIPAN PRINCESS CAKE

Steps:

• Fit heavy-duty stand mixer with flat beater attachment. Crumble almond paste into large mixer bowl; add 3 cups powdered sugar. Beat on low speed until mixture is crumbly and resembles cornmeal. Add corn syrup and 1 tablespoon water. Mix on low speed, adding additional water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until mixture starts to form a dough. Remove about 1/8 of marzipan for daisies; wrap in plastic wrap and set aside. Add green food color and water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to remaining marzipan; beat on low speed until pale green and consistency of modeling clay. Sprinkle work surface generously with powdered sugar. Knead green marzipan until smooth and color is even, sprinkling with additional powdered sugar as needed to reduce stickiness. Flatten into round disc, about 6 inches in diameter. Double wrap disc in plastic wrap. Refrigerate marzipan at least 24 hours or up to 1 week.
• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease 2 (9-inch) round pans with shortening; lightly flour. Line pan bottoms with waxed paper or cooking parchment paper; grease again and lightly flour. In large bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed, gradually adding 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In another large bowl, beat egg yolks with remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar at high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low. Gradually beat in melted butter and vanilla until smooth. Fold 1 cup of the egg whites into egg yolk mixture until well blended. Fold in remaining egg whites until blended. Sift 1/3 of flour mixture over batter; fold in. Sift remaining flour, half at a time, over batter; fold in. Spread 1/3 of batter (about 1 1/4 cups) into one pan. Spread the remaining batter (about 2 1/2 cups) in second pan. Place both pans in oven.
• Bake smaller cake 10 to 15 minutes; larger cake 17 to 22 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 40 minutes. Refrigerate larger cake 20 minutes before assembling cake.
• Meanwhile, in 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix pudding mix and half-and-half. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour into bowl; place plastic wrap directly on top of pudding. Cool 15 minutes; refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours. Just before assembling cake, beat pudding with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. In small bowl, beat whipping cream, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir whipped cream into pudding until blended.
• To assemble cake, using long, thin serrated knife, cut large cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place smaller cake on cake plate; spread top with 1/4 cup of the preserves. Spread 1/2 of the pudding mixture (about 1 1/4 cups) over preserves, mounding slightly in center and tapering at edge. Place second layer (half of larger cake), cut side up over filling. Spread with remaining preserves. Spoon and spread remaining pudding mixture over preserves. Top with remaining cake layer, top side up. With serrated knife, trim top edge of cake so edge is slightly rounded. Refrigerate cake until ready to frost.
• In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the milk with electric mixer on low speed until mixed. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, adding milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until spreading consistency. Place1/4 cup of frosting in small bowl; cover and set aside. Spread thin layer of remaining frosting over top and side of cake. Cover and refrigerate.
• For marzipan covering for cake, generously sprinkle work surface with powdered sugar. With rolling pin, roll green marzipan to 14- to 15-inch circle, adding powdered sugar and rotating disc every few rolls to prevent sticking. Remove cake from refrigerator. Roll marzipan onto rolling pin and gently unroll over cake. Press marzipan gently against top and side of cake to mold to cake and create a smooth surface. With sharp knife or pizza cutter, trim off extra marzipan at bottom edge of cake. Roll green trimmings until 1/4-inch thick and cut into 1/2-inch wide strip with pastry wheel or sharp knife. Attach to bottom of cake.
• For marzipan daisies, generously sprinkle work surface with powdered sugar; roll marzipan to 1/4-inch thickness. With sharp knife or daisy cutter, make several daisy shapes. Place daisies on top of cake, overlapping petals as desired. Place yellow confetti sprinkle in center of each daisy. Store in refrigerator.

MARZIPAN FROSTING RECIPE

Steps:

• Crumble half the marzipan into food processor. Whirl until it forms fine crumbs. Add half the butter and whirl until it's smooth. Beat in the remaining ingredients.