Tradition starts at the table.
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Marzipan is one of my all-time favorite foods. I just can’t get enough of the stuff. It is a love affair that has gone on for many years. Followers of my previous blog may also have noticed a liking for white chocolate. This trend has not yet taken a downturn.
It makes sense then that I was absolutely obsessed for years about how to make it. What was the right ratio to use? Would the recipe I chose work or would it end up an expensive flop.
Today I wanted to make an almond cake as this is a favorite for ‘C’. Recreating a cake from a memory on an exotic island off the coast of Africa is easier said than done. However, I am eager to give it a try.
As luck would have it I didn’t have any Marzipan, but I had a generous supply of almonds. The natural way for things to go was to make my own. With a little twist!
Smooth and decadent with an extra creamy finish – this white chocolate Marzipan turned out a real treat.
It is far easier to make than you might expect and tastes a world apart from the store-bought version. All you need is a food processor.
I found that the addition of white chocolate also makes the taste more accessible to those who are not overly fond of Marzipan. This is not a problem for me, fortunately! On a recent trip to Germany, I was able to spend the morning in Lübeck. Lübeck is famous for its Marzipan and I most certainly indulged. A wonderful Brötchen for breakfast with a Marzipan coffee at Café Niederegger followed by some serious shopping at their Stammhaus or parent shop.
A quick and easy recipe for making Marzipan at home with the surprise addition of white chocolate.
Start by having all your ingredients measured out and ready
Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt. You can either use a double boiler or simply microwave. When I am simply melting chocolate and do not need to temper it I use the microwave.
When smooth set it aside to cool slightly.
Mix together the egg white, water, and vanilla extract.
Combine the almond flour and icing sugar in your food processor. Start on a low speed to combine and then increase the speed. Add the egg white, water and vanilla in all at once and mix through.
Now you can add the cooled melted chocolate. Carry on blending on a high-speed. You may need to stop and push the mixture down towards the blade two or three times. You will notice that a large cylinder will form that will whirl around in the blender. Just push it down until all the mixture comes loose from the bottom.
Turn out and bring together. This should be quick and easy as when the paste comes loose from the bottom of your mixture it would have formed a ball of smooth dough. Shape in a sausage, wrap in wax paper and store in the fridge.
For a vegan variation leave out the egg whites and double up on the water.
As always, I suggest using free-range eggs when baking and cooking. I am lucky enough to buy some fantastic eggs close to where I stay from Homegrown Free Range eggs. They are a family business who supplies loads of great restaurants and food producers around the Cape Town and Winelands areas.
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