Marzipan Recipe Martha Stewart

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.

SCANDINAVIAN PRINCESS CAKE

Steps:

• Make the genoise: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray, line each with parchment, then spray parchment. Combine cake flour, almond flour, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Whisk eggs, yolks, and granulated sugar in a mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm to the touch, about 2 minutes. Attach bowl to mixer, and whisk on medium speed for 2 minutes. Raise speed to high, and whisk until mixture is pale and thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Sift flour mixture over egg mixture, and gently fold. When almost incorporated, slowly add melted butter, and fold.
• Divide batter between baking sheets, spread evenly, and bake until golden brown and springy to the touch, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool. Run a knife around edges of pans, and invert onto a clean surface; discard parchment. Using an 8-by-3-inch cake ring, cut out 4 circles. Choose the 3 thickest cake circles, and reserve the fourth for another use.
• Make the pastry cream: Bring milk, vanilla seeds, salt, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar to combine. When milk begins to boil, remove from heat. Slowly ladle half the milk into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour mixture into saucepan, place over medium heat, and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture has thickened, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, and whisk in cold butter. Strain into a medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface, and let cool. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
• Make the simple syrup: Bring granulated sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, and stir in Armagnac if using. Let cool.
• To assemble the cake: Place the cake ring on a 9-inch cardboard circle. Place 1 cake circle in ring, and lightly brush top with syrup. Using a small offset spatula, spread jam on cake layer. Whisk 2 1/2 cups cream until stiff peaks form. Cover jam with 1/2 cup whipped cream. Top with another cake circle, and brush top with syrup. Cover this circle with pastry cream. Place final cake circle on top, pressing down gently, and brush top with syrup. Spoon remaining whipped cream over cake, and smooth. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or preferably overnight).
• Whisk remaining 1/2 cup cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Remove cake ring, and coat sides of cake with whipped cream. Refrigerate cake until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Knead a golf-ball-size piece of marzipan with a couple of drops of blue food coloring, adding more drops as needed to reach desired color (this piece should be a few shades darker than the final). Knead half the colored marzipan into remaining marzipan until color is evenly distributed. (Add remaining half if needed to reach desired color.) On a surface dusted with confectioners' sugar, roll out marzipan to a 14-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Place a doily in the center of marzipan. With the rolling pin, slowly but firmly roll over doily to create an imprint. Gently remove doily. Rub confectioners' sugar into marzipan with your fingertips to fill imprint. Place marzipan over cake, smooth sides, and trim bottom edges. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

MARZIPAN HOLLY

Steps:

• Knead a small amount of green food coloring into 3/4 of the marzipan until desired shade is achieved. Knead a small amount of red food coloring into the remaining 1/4.
• Roll out the green marzipan 1/8 inch thick on a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners' sugar. Brush off any excess sugar. Using a paring knife, cut out holly leaves. Using the back of a paring knife, lightly press into marzipan, creating veins. Roll small pieces of the red marzipan into tiny balls, forming holly berries.

MARZIPAN BEES

Steps:

• Add yellow gel paste to 1 portion marzipan and black gel paste to the other. Knead each to incorporate.
• Roll each portion into a 1/8-inch-diameter rope. Cut each rope crosswise into 1/8-inch slices.
• Stack 5 slices together horizontally, flat sides facing, alternating colors, starting and ending with yellow. Press together gently. For the head, roll a yellow slice into a ball, and press onto body. For the eyes, roll 2 bits of black marzipan into balls; press onto head. For the stinger, shape the tail piece into a slight point. For the wings, press a sliced almond into each side of bee. Repeat. Use immediately.

MARZIPAN FOR SPRING GARDEN CAKE

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine almond paste and sugar. Pulse until combined. Add the corn syrup, and pulse again until combined, about 15 times.
• Mixture should hold together when pressed. Transfer to a clean work surface; knead until smooth dough is formed. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Color as desired.

MARZIPAN

Steps:

• Combine almond paste, confectioners' sugar, and corn syrup in a large mixing bowl. You may need to work the mixture with your hands to ensure that it is well mixed. To prevent the mixture from drying as you work with it, rub hands with a light coating of vegetable shortening. Wrap tightly in plastic until ready for use.

MARZIPAN CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE AND SLICED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Grease a 9-inch pie dish with butter. Add 1 tablespoon flour and coat the dish, shaking out any excess flour.
• Mix the almond paste and sugar on low speed in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix until well incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one has been fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour and mix just until combined. Pour into the prepared pie dish and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until just until scalding, about 3 minutes. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Let the ganache cool slightly so it is spreadable. Evenly frost the top of the cake with the ganache. Sprinkle the outer edges with the sliced almonds and decorate with the raspberries. Serve at room temperature.

MARZIPAN FOR BUCHE DE NOEL

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until well combined and smooth. Wrap mixture in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

MARZIPAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine marzipan, confectioners' sugar, egg white, and flour in a bowl. Knead into a smooth dough. Roll out to 1/3-inch thickness and cut into whatever shapes you like.
• Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and place cookies onto it. Allow to dry, 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Brush the cooled cookies with rose water.

RASPBERRY-MARZIPAN TART

Steps:

• Dough:Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or rub it in with your fingers until small bits remain. Stir in egg, and mix until a dough forms. Fit dough into a buttered 9-inch pie plate using plastic wrap or wet fingers. Spread 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons preserves on bottom of tart shell. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Filling:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter, sugar, and extracts with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in nuts. Spread filling over preserves in tart shell.
• Bake tart until crust is deep golden brown and filling is set, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Spread with remaining 1/4 cup preserves. Tart can be stored at room temperature, tented with foil, up to 1 day. Or, after tart cools, store it at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, then foil, up to 3 days; spread with preserves before serving.