Technique: Repairing Separated Marzipan

Making marzipan is a relatively straightforward process with only one pitfall: fat separation. Although a solid, marzipan is a fat-in-water emulsion, just like ganache. Because fat is the dispersed phase of marzipan, if there is too much of it in relation to the continuous aqueous phase, the fat separates out of the marzipan. Excessive fat may be caused by nuts with an extremely high fat content or by cooking the sugar to too high a temperature, thus removing too much water from the emulsion. In all cases, separated marzipan is caused by too much fat in relation to water. (See emulsion diagrams.) The most common time for separation to occur is during grinding.