[Sca-cooks] marzipan advice

[Volker Bach]

Am Dienstag, 6. Dezember 2005 22:03 schrieb elisabetta at klotz.org:
> I am making a sutlity (ok, I can't spell that word) for EK 12th Night. The
> current idea is to do a hunting scene with marzipan and cake.
>
> I have worked with store bought marzipan, but have never made my own,
> which I am
> assuming is cheaper.

Depending on how extortionate the prices for almonds are, you may be in for a 
surprise. I can get 200g marzipan for the price of 100g ground blanched 
almonds retail ATM here. Yes, it gets cheaper if you blanch them yourself, 
but the labour involved is very wet, tedious, and unpleasant. 

> So I have many questions:
>
> Is it cheaper to make marizipan and how do you do it?

Several ways. You need to get (or make) ground blanched almonds, the finer the 
better. Then you either mix them with powdered sugar and add a little liquid, 
or mix them with hot sugar syrup. Either way gives you a malleable mass, 
though the 'cold' method stays malleable for longer and is easier to work 
with. I have tried grinding in the food grinder and food processor, and 
neither was very satisfying. If you can get pre-ground 'almond paste', you 
can save yourself a lot of bother, but it's hard to get here.  

> Can you buy
> commercial marizpan at bulk?

I'm saure you can, but don't ask me where. I only know addressse for Germany, 
and they can't legally sell to non-business customers. 

 Is there something else I can substitute for
> marizpan that is
> period (sigh, no chocolate clay)? How long does marizpan last in and or out
> of the fridge?

Weeks, even months. If it hardens out a bit, almost indefinitely. Marzipan 
doesn't get mouldy if stored in a cool, dry place. I've eaten a marziopan 
bunny that was three years old without undue effect. 

Giano


	

	
		
___________________________________________________________ 
Gesendet von Yahoo! Mail - Jetzt mit 1GB Speicher kostenlos - Hier anmelden: http://mail.yahoo.de