Alan Davidson

Marzipan

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About

marzipan at its simplest, is a paste of crushed almonds and sugar. It is sweet and has a rich, luxurious texture. A small proportion of bitter almonds are often added to almond paste; they add flavour and have a preservative effect. Two main types are recognized by confectioners: German and French.

For German marzipan, a speciality of Lübeck and Königsberg, whole almonds are mixed with the appropriate weight of sugar and then ground coarsely. The mixture is dried over heat, cooked for a short time, then poured onto a slab and spread thinly to cool.