Oh, Marzipan. A delicious, rich almond paste known as pasta reale, (pasta, meaning “paste”) made of ground almonds and sugar. This confection has a soft moldable consistency making it easy to form into different shapes, decorate cakes and more. Traditionally marzipan is pretty expensive, but luckily it’s very easy to make yourself! I love marzipan, but it can be very sweet. That’s why I made a 4-ingredient marzipan recipe with pure ingredients that’s slightly less sweet – making it even more enjoyable.
Growing up my mom always took me to Italian candy stores where I’d get to choose from pretty life-like fruit shaped marzipan behind the glass – almost too pretty to eat. My family is from Palermo, Sicily where “frutta martorana” is a well-known tradition. Story has it that sometime during the 12th century nuns of a church in Palermo called La Martorana decided to sculpt fruit out of marzipan and hang it from their empty trees to impress the visiting archbishop!
My favorite part of the process is forming it into cute creations, starting with flowers for spring! I use these fruit and veggie cutters to create cute shapes.
Ingredients:
- Almond flour
- Powdered sugar or sweetener – may substitute with powdered monk fruit sweetener for a refined sugar-free version
- Almond extract
- Date syrup – may substitute with another sticky sweetener or omit. The sticky sweetener provides a nice consistency but can be left out.
- Purified water or rose water – marzipan traditionally uses food grade rose water for a distinct flavor, but pure water works just fine.
Use cookie cutters to create cute shapes then use as decoration to top cupcakes, cakes, or enjoy as a mini sweet treat! You can make this marzipan recipe ahead of time. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate up to a month, or freeze up to 6 months. You will never need to buy store-bought marzipan again. Enjoy!
4-ingredient Flower Marzipan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 3/4 - 1 cup powdered sugar May substitute with powdered monk fruit sweetener for a refined sugar free version
- 2 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 1/2 tbsp date syrup can substitute with another sticky sweetener such as maple syrup.
- 1 1/2 tbsp purified water
- Plant-based food coloring
Instructions
- Add almond flour and powdered sugar to food processor. Pulse until combined.
- Add almond extract, date syrup and water. Mix until a thick dough forms.
- Remove dough from food processor and knead for 30 seconds.
- If the dough is too sticky add more almond flour 1/2 tbsp at a time. Keep in mind that dough will become firmer after refrigeration.
- Place marzipan onto a cutting board or surface and form into a log. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Making Marzipan Flowers
- Cut marzipan into three parts - two large and one small piece. Add a few drops of food coloring to each. Use colors of your choice. I used blue and green for the flower petals and yellow for the center of the flowers. Knead and add more coloring until desired color is reached.
- Using a rolling pin or your hands, roll each section of marzipan into 1/4 inch piece and use a mini flower cutter to make flower shapes in the blue and green dough.
- Roll small balls with the yellow dough and place in the center of each flower.
- Store in an air tight container. Will keep for at least a month in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer.
- Bring to room temperature before using in any recipe. Makes 12-13 ounces of marzipan or almond paste
Looking for more easy desserts? Try these 4-ingredient peanut butter cups.
