Variations

Although true marzipan is made with almonds in a 2 to 1 proportion of nuts to sugar, a number of variations exist:

• Almond icing. Sometimes used as an alternative description for marzipan, almond icing is a much sweeter, less nutty confection. It contains up to 75 percent sugar and only 23 to 25 percent almonds.

• Almond paste. Also used as an alternative name for marzipan, almond paste is a different and cheaper product to manufacture, with a higher sugar content. Generally made from equal quantities of nuts and sugar, it is sometimes used as a substitute for marzipan in pastry fillings or mass-produced chocolates.

• Frangipane. Not strictly speaking a marzipan, frangipane is used as a lighter marzipan-like filling, made with equal parts almond, butter, sugar, and eggs. See frangipane.

• Hazelnut marzipan. Hazelnuts are used as an alternative to almonds, ground together in a proportion from 1½ to 2 parts nuts to sugar. Almonds may be mixed in according to taste.

• Mazapán de pili. In the Philippines, a version of marzipan is made with local pili nuts.

• Mazpon. This is a Goan variation on marzipan made with local cashew nuts.

• Persipan. Blanched apricot or peach kernels, with a flavor between sweet and bitter almonds, are used to create persipan, commonly made in Germany and elsewhere as a high-quality but cheaper substitute for marzipan.

• Pistachio marzipan. This vivid green marzipan is made with pistachio nuts, ground together in a proportion of 1½ to 2 parts nuts to sugar. Almonds may be mixed in according to taste and cost.