[Sca-cooks] Marzipan creations, like onions...

[Olwen the Odd]

>Olwen the Odd wrote:
>
>>>
>>>For those who have worked with Marzipan before, I present a question:Is
>>>it
>>>easier and/or better to work with the almond paste or the homemade
>>>made-from-scratch? The recipe I have is the homemade stuff.
>>>
>>>Misha
>>
>>
>>Trust me Misha, opening a can of almond paste and mixing it with sugar and
>>rosewater is SOOOOOO much easier than blanching and grinding almonds and
>>THEN mixing with sugar and rosewater.  I do think the experience is worth
>>it
>>though.
>>
>>Since I use 60 to 80 pounds of marzipan (at least) a year I would be
>>grinding almonds in my spare time and my sleep if I did not use the cans.
>>Olwen
>
>
>Olwen, have you investigated the almond flour sometimes found in Indian or
>Middle eastern markets? ISTR getting it for about $5 a pound (maybe less),
>mixing it with an equal amount of powdered sugar and enough diluted
>rosewater to moisten it all to a cohesive state when mixed and kneaded. It
>made an ever so slightly coarser version of marzipan, not especially sticky
>(there was just a hint of released almond oil, which combatted that). I
>suspect that what I ended up with was perhaps not quite as fine as a modern
>commercial product, but very possibly as fine, or very nearly so, as a
>hand-made period product. And then, how well my cost compares to your
>method, I have no idea.
>
>
>Adamantius

I have never heard of it.  I shall have to investigate.  Thanks for the tip.
  If I get hold of any I'll experiment and let you know.
Olwen

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