Categories
Baking Recipes Vegetarian

Nutmeg Marzipan

Nutmeg Marzipan Recipe (3)

It’s that time of the year again; the one month of the year when marzipan is universally enjoyed and in prodigious quantity. Whether it’s separating your Christmas cake from royal icing or simply rolled into a ball and popped in your mouth, marzipan is a true Christmas tradition. However, despite its simplicity most marzipan is shop bought, yet there is no comparison. Homemade is simply superior in every way. Let me show you how to make it!

Make your own marzipan and you’ll realise just how stark the difference is between it and the shop bought stuff, which is force-fed flavour using almond extract. Homemade marzipan has a far more interesting texture – you can actually tell it contains real almonds – and its flavour is subtle and inoffensive.

Nutmeg Marzipan Recipe (1)

This recipe is for nutmeg marzipan, but you may flavour it however you want. Cinnamon works very well in this capacity, but so will most spices and citrus flavours. The reason I went with nutmeg is simply because it’s one of my favourite spices. Nutmeg has such a versatile flavour; I struggle to find situations in which it doesn’t perform well!

If you’re looking for an inexpensive, minimum fuss Christmas cake give my mince pie cake a shot, covering it with a layer of nutmeg marzipan, followed by a generous coating of royal icing

Nutmeg Marzipan (adapted from BBC GoodFood)

Makes 1 large ball (around 1.2kg)

Ingredients:

• 175g caster sugar

• 280g icing sugar

• 450g ground almonds

• 2 eggs, beaten

• ½ tsp orange juice

• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the sugars, almonds and nutmeg. Make a well in the centre and tip in the juice and beaten eggs. Cut the wet into the dry with a knife.

2. Dust the surface with a little icing sugar and turn out the marzipan. Knead it gently for 1-2 minutes, form into a ball, wrap and keep in the fridge. It will last for up to a week, or for 2 months once on an iced Christmas Cake.

Nutmeg Marzipan Recipe (2) Nutmeg Marzipan Recipe (4)

Cost: Considering the vast difference in quality between shop bought and homemade marzipan, almost any price is worth it. However, since this huge ball of marzipan should set you back only £3.40 there is absolutely no reason not to make your own.

32 replies on “Nutmeg Marzipan”

Must give this a try! – but I do have one question – regarding the use of raw egg in the recipe. In the US we are always warned about eating raw eggs and illnesses that may ensue. I realize this would be refridgerated, but well, just wondering if you might share your thoughts on the whole “don’t eat raw egg” thing. Thanks!

It is delicious! Raw egg is fine. As long as the egg isn’t gone off and doesn’t touch anything on the outside of the shell – chicken poo, for instance – it’s not going to do you any harm. My thoughts on the don’t eat raw egg thing is that I don’t ever have a problem eating raw eggs. This marzipan keeps for 1-2 weeks in the fridge – it’s accompanied by so much sugar the eggs are preserved. Also, once on a cake, under a layer of icing it’ll last for 1-2 months. Don’t worry about it – cold rice is actually much more dangerous.

SO excited about this recipe. I always get shop bought marzipan for my Christmas cakes, but am definitely going to try making my own. And love the idea of flavouring it with nutmeg – do you think that it might be nice with a gingerbread cake?

I love this!! Since I saw your instagram posting the other day, i’ve been obsessed with the idea of making my own marzipan. I’m glad I waited until your recipe came out,because the other ones I found seemed unnneccesarily complicated. Two questions- 1) what do you think of using almond meal (store bought) in lieu of grinding my own? I happen to have some on hand. 2) I’m assuming that covering the marzipan in chocolate would also extend it’s shelf life, correct? And would or wouldn’t needto be refrigerated?

This recipes produces great marzipan and it really is simple! I don’t grind my own – feel free! I think covering it in anything would extend its shelf life. chocolate would remove it from the air so that sounds great. I actually want to do a chocolate covered marzipan recipe. I don’t think that would need to be refrigerated.

Hi again! Just wanted to check back in and thank you for this wonderful recipe!! I made a batch and then divided it into four loaves, which I then covered in chocolate. I gave two away to family, planned on keeping just one for myself, and was planning to gift the fourth to a friend on New Years. However, as the end of the log we kept is drawing near, I am very seriously considering keeping the last one instead of giving it away… haha thanks again!! This was one of those things I probably never would have thought to make myself had I not seen this! Happy new year!

I would love to try this but weighing in on the raw egg debate I would say my gp told me not to eat raw egg because I’m pregnant. Under normal circumstances I’d be in the kitchen trying this right now.

If you like my recipes, photos or food please leave a comment here...