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.
Home-made White Chocolate Marzipan
A quick and easy recipe for making Marzipan at home with the surprise addition of white chocolate.
-
375
gram
Icing sugar
sifted
-
290
gram
Almond flour
-
28
gram
Egg white
room temperature
-
28
gram
water
room temperature
-
5
ml
Vanilla extract
-
100
gram
Best quality white chocolate
Broken into pieces
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Start by having all your ingredients measured out and ready
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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.
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Mix together the egg white, water, and vanilla extract.
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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.
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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.
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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.