Marzipan

Marzipanis aconfectionconsisting primarily ofsugarandalmond meal(ground almonds), sometimes augmented withalmond oilor extract.
It is often made intosweets; common uses arechocolate-covered marzipan and small marzipan imitations of fruits and vegetables. It can also be used in biscuits or rolled into thin sheets and glazed for icingcakes, primarilybirthday cakes,wedding cakesandChristmas cakes. Marzipan may also be used as a baking ingredient, as instollenorbanket. In some countries, it is shaped into small figures of animals as a traditional treat forNew Year's DayorChristmas. Marzipan is also used inTortell, and in some versions ofking cakeeaten during theCarnivalseason.
TheGeographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Unionrecognize two marzipans in Europe: one in Toledo (Spain)and one in Lübeck (Germany).
InSpain, marzipan is a traditional Christmas dessert (mazapán), although inToledo, where the first written reference of this product dates back to 1512, it is eaten all year round. InItaly, particularly inPalermo, marzipan (marzapane) is often shaped and painted with food colourings to resemble fruit—frutta martorana—especially during theChristmasseason and onIl Giorno dei Morti(All Souls' Day) on November 2. May 9 and 10 are also special days for eating marzipan inSicily.InPortugal, where the confection has been traditionally made by nuns,marzipan (maçapão) is used to make fruit-shaped sweets; in theAlgarveregion in particular it is a very common sweet, where it is shaped like fruits and filled withFios de ovos. There are other regions, asToledoinSpainin which marzipan (mazapán) is shaped into simple animal shapes, and sometimes filled in withegg yolk(yema) andsugar. InGreeceandCyprus, marzipan is made in a variety of shapes and sizes and is almost always left white.In theislands of the Aegeanin particular, white marzipan is considered a wedding treat and is served to guests at wedding feasts.InMalta, marzipan is used as a filling in thetraditional MalteseEaster treats called figolli (singular:figolla). It is also popular in Turkey, where it is calledbadem ezmesi. There are two regional variations registered in theTurkish Patent and Trademark Office.
InDenmark,SwedenandNorway, it is customary to snack onmarzipan pigsaround Christmas, marzipan shaped as eggs around Easter, andkransekageonNew Year's Eve.It is also used in a large variety of cakes and confectioneries unrelated to the holidays, includingtræstammer,gåsebryst, andnapoleonshatte, and as an ingredient inremonce-filling forDanish pastry.
InMaiasmokkcafé inTallinn, Estonia, there is a small museum dedicated to the history and manufacture of marzipan.
Traditional Swedishprincess cakeis typically covered with a layer of marzipan that has been tinted pale green or pink.
Traditional FinnishKäpykakkuis typically coated with a layer of marzipan, which is dark brown color andConifer cone-shaped and spiky.
InBelgiumand theNetherlands,marsepein('marzipan') figures are given asSinterklaas(Saint Nicholas) presents.
InFrance,massepainis the specialty ofSaint-Léonard-de-Noblat, a town inLimousin. It comes in biscuit shape. It is also prepared inGironde, it is namedGirondin puddingmade from hard bread, brown sugar and flavored with raisins soaked in rum.
InGermany, it is common to gift marzipan in the shape of a loaf of bread (Marzipanbrot) or in the shape of small potatoes (Marzipankartoffeln[de]) during Christmas time.Stollencan contain marzipan, and it is often featured as an ingredient in seasonal baked goods, such asBethmännchen,Dominosteineand otherChristmas cookies. One traditional new year present is known as aGlücksschwein('lucky pig').Mozartkugelnare a famed export ofAustriamade of marzipan balls dipped in dark chocolate.
In the United Kingdom, celebratoryfruitcakesare decorated with a layer of marzipan – particularlyChristmas cakewhich is covered with white sugar icing, and at Easter theSimnel cakecontains a layer of marzipan, a further layer decorates the top and is lightly grilled or toasted to colour it.Battenberg cake, which originates in England, is covered in a layer of marzipan.
InGeneva, a traditional part of the celebration ofL'Escaladeis the ritual smashing of a chocolate cauldron filled with marzipan vegetables, a reference to aSavoyardsiege of the city which was supposedly foiled by a housewife with a cauldron of boiling soup.
InSyria, marzipan is known aslozina,lowzineh(Persian:لوزینه, derived fromArabic:لوزlawz, 'almond'), ormarçabén(theArabic:مرصبان). It is flavoured withorange-flower waterand shaped into roses and other delicate flowers before being baked. Marzipan can also be made from oatmeal,farina, or semolina.
ForJews in Iran, marzipan fruit is a traditionalPassovertreat, replacing biscuits and cakes. According toSephardic Jewishcustom, friends of the woman giving birth would cook for her and prepare homemade marzipan. This was believed to enhance the mother’s milk and was considered a symbol of purity and good fortune for both mother and baby.
InLatin American cuisine, marzipan is known by theSpanish:mazapánand is traditionally eaten atChristmas. In some Latin American countries, forms ofmazapánare made from nuts or seeds other than almonds. InGuatemala, a specialtymazapánfromAmatitlánis made withpumpkin seed(pepita), rice and sugar.Mexicanmazapánis typically made frompeanuts.This peanut paste preparation is used in a commercial Mexican candy calledmazapán de la Rosa[es].
In theIndianstate ofGoa, marzipan (maçapão) was introduced from Portugal. However, the Goan version usescashewnuts instead of almonds. Goan marzipan is used to makeEaster eggs. It is also used to make Christmas sweets in various shapes like fruits, flowers, stars, etc. Similarly, in the city of Mumbai, the East Indians mould their cashewnut-based or almond-based marzipan into different shapes for Christmas and into marzipan eggs, chickens and bonnets for Easter.
In thePhilippinesmarzipan was brought from Spain,mazapán de pili(Spanishfor 'pili marzipan') is made frompili nuts.
There are two proposed lines of origin for marzipan; they are not necessarily contradictory and may be complementary, as there have always been Mediterranean trade and cooking influences.Other sources establish the origin of marzipan in China, from where the recipe moved on to the Middle East and then to Europe throughAl-Andalus.
Although it is believed to have been introduced to Eastern Europe through the Turks (inbadem ezmesi), and most notably produced inEdirne), there is some dispute betweenHungaryandItalyover its origin. Marzipan became a specialty of theHanseatic Leagueport towns. In particular, the cities ofLübeckandTallinnhave a proud tradition of marzipan manufacture. Examples includeLübecker Marzipan, which hasProtected geographical indication(PGI) status.The city's manufacturers such asNiedereggerstill guarantee their marzipan to contain two-thirds almonds by weight, which results in a product of highest quality. Historically, the city ofKönigsberginEast Prussiawas also renowned for its distinctive marzipan production.Königsberg marzipanremains a special type of marzipan in Germany that is golden brown on its surface and sometimes embedded withmarmaladeat its centre.
In the United States, marzipan is not officially defined, but it is generally made with a higher ratio of sugar to almonds thanalmond paste.One brand, for instance, has 28% almonds in its marzipan, and 45% almonds in its almond paste.However, in Sweden and Finland almond paste refers to a marzipan that contains 50% ground almonds, a much higher quality than regular marzipan. In Germany,Lübecker Marzipanis known for its quality. It contains 66% almonds.The original manually producedMozartkugelnare made from green pistachio marzipan.
Another possible geographic origin is the parts of Spain that were known asAl-Andalus. InToledo(850–900, though more probably 1150 during the reign ofAlfonso VII) this specialty was known asPostre Regio(instead ofMazapán). There are also mentions in the folktale collection,One Thousand and One Nightsof analmond pasteeaten duringRamadanand as an aphrodisiac.Mazapán is Toledo's most famous dessert, often created for Christmas, and has PGI status.For this, almonds have to be at least 50% of the total weight, following the directives ofMazapán de Toledoregulator council.Another idea to support this line is the important tradition of another Spanish almond-based Christmas confectionery, theturrón.
Persipanis a similar, but less expensive product, in which the almonds are replaced byapricotorpeachkernels. Many confectionery products sold as marzipan are made from less expensive materials, such as soy paste and almond essence.To control and detect the authenticity of marzipan,polymerase chain reactionmethods can differentiate almonds from substitutes and adulterants at concentrations of less than one percent.German marzipan is made by grinding whole almonds with sugar and partially drying the paste, and French marzipan (calledmassepain) is made by combining ground almonds with sugar syrup.Some marzipan is flavoured withrosewater. Spanish marzipan is made withoutbitter almonds. In the United States, bitter almonds are not used in marzipan because the importation of bitter almonds into the country is prohibited by US law, owing to them containing a substance related tocyanide.Sugar-free marzipan can be made by replacing sugar with polyols such asmaltitol.Varieties made with other types of nuts are eaten in Latin America, and peanut-based marzipan is the most common variety in Mexico.
The German name has largely ousted the original English namemarchpanewith the same apparent derivation: 'March bread'. (The wordmarchpaneoccurs in Shakespeare'sRomeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 5, Line 9.)Marzapaneis documented earlier in Italian than in any other language, and the termpanmeaning 'bread' originates inRomance languages. The origin could be from the Latin termmartius panis, which meansbread of March. InJohann Burchard’sDiarium curiae romanae(1483–1492) the Latin form appears asmartiapanis.
The ultimateetymologyis unclear; for example, the Italian word derives from the Latin words "Massa" (itself from GreekΜάζα"Maza") meaning pastry and "Pan" meaning bread, this can be particularly seen in the Provençalmassapan, in Catalanmassapà, the Portuguesemaçapão(where 'ç' is an alternative letter for thephonemeusually expressed by 'ss') and old Spanishmazapán– the change from 'ss' to 'z' in Latin words was common in old Spanish and the 'r' appeared later. Among the other possible etymologies set forth in theOxford English Dictionary, one theory proposes that the word "marzipan" may be a corruption ofMartaban, aBurmesecity famous forits jars.
TheReal Academia Españolasuggests the Spanishmazapánis perhaps derived from the Hispanic Arabicبسمة,pičmáṭ, from the Greekπαξαμάδιον,paxamádion('little cake').
Another possible source is fromArabic:موثابانmawthābān'king who sits still'.The Arabic, Latinised asmatapanus, was used to describe a Venetian coin depicting an enthronedChrist the King.These coins were stored in ornate boxes. From about the fifteenth century, when the coins were no longer in circulation, the boxes became decorative containers for storing and serving luxury sweetmeats. One such luxury that crept into the box in the sixteenth century is the now-famous almond-flavoured marzipan, named (at least proximately) after the box in which it was stored.
To produce marzipan, raw almonds are cleaned "by sieving, airelutriation, and other electronic or mechanical devices",then immersed in water with a temperature just below the boiling point for about five minutes, in a process known asblanching. This loosens the almonds' skin, which is removed by passing the almonds through rubber-covered rotating cylinders.They are then cooled, after which they are coarsely chopped and ground, with up to 35% sugar, intoalmond flour.In the traditional production of marzipan raw filler, a similar process is followed: Sweet almonds are scalded, peeled on rubber-covered rolls, coarsely chopped, and then ground with the addition of not more than 35% of sucrose.
The almond flour mixture is roasted and cooled, after which sucrose (table sugar) and possibly abinding agentsuch as starch syrup orsorbitolare added.It may then be moulded into any shape. Marzipan must be covered in an airtight container to prevent it from hardening and dehydrating. It should be protected from direct light to prevent rancidity of the almond oil, resulting fromlipid oxidation.
The aroma and flavor of marzipan can in part be attributed tobenzaldehyde, which is formed fromamygdalin
Marzipan is a foodemulsionthat contains four phases: a solid phase of suspended particles including almonds and sugars, a suspended air pocket phase formed from incorporated air during mixing, a water phase, and a lipid phase from almond oil.The phases can separate when left alone for long periods of time. It is stabilized by the phospholipids and triglycerides found in the almond cells. The fatty acids found in almonds include saturated fats such asstearic acidand unsaturated fats such aslinoleic acid.Emulsifiers can be added during production to increase shelf life.
Marzipan's softness is a balance between the solid and liquid components. It should have a moisture content of less than 10%.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Marchpane".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.