Fruits and Flowers

To make small fruits, first divide the paste into equal portions. For example, to make ¾-ounce (22 g) pieces, flatten 1½ pound (700 g) marzipan into a fairly thick rectangle of uniform thickness. With a knife, carefully cut the rectangle into four rows of eight to make 32 equal pieces.

Begin by rolling each piece between the palms of your hands into a round ball that is perfectly smooth and free of seams and cracks (bananas are an exception—begin by rolling the pieces into smooth sausage shapes). Then start modeling the balls with the fingers into the shapes of pears, apples, and other fruits. The best way to make realistic-looking fruits is to use real fruits as models. Imitate the shapes of the real fruits as closely as possible.