Marzipan

Due to its large sugar content (60 to 70 percent), marzipan dries very quickly when exposed to air and should be kept covered at all times. If marzipan becomes dry (but it has not dried all the way through), you can reconstitute it by kneading in a small amount of water, although this will shorten its shelf life considerably. Keep your tools and workplace scrupulously clean, and always wash your hands immediately prior to rolling or molding marzipan. The almond oil, which is brought to the surface as you work the marzipan, will pick up and absorb even a small trace of dirt on your hands, which not only ruins the off-white color of the marzipan but can lead to spoilage. If marzipan becomes oily while you are working with it, it generally means it is too firm, causing you to handle it more forcefully than is desired, which brings the oil to the surface. Gently work in a small amount of water to correct the problem. Then add a small amount of powdered sugar if the dough is too sticky. Adding powdered sugar alone, without the water, will simply make the marzipan firmer and will not solve the oily problem.