Recipe By :
Serving Size : 24 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Candies
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
-----BASIC MARZIPAN-----
16 oz Almond paste
2 Egg whites
1/2 ts Extract, almond
4 c Sugar, powdered
-----CANDY MAKING-----
Cloves, whole
Egg whites
Food coloring, paste
Kirsch -- or vodka
1/2 c Water
1/4 c Syrup, corn, light
Sugar, red
TO AVOID HARMFUL BACTERIA, BE SURE EGGS ARE NOT
CRACKED BEFORE USE.
There are 4 steps to making colorful marzipan fruits: making basic
marzipan, shaping fruits, coloring fruits; glazing fruits.
MAKE THE BASIC MARZIPAN
Break up almond paste in large bowl. Add egg whites and almond
extract and mix thoroughly. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, kneading
well after each addition; add enough sugar to make a solid, heavy
dough. (The mixture is quite sticky and hard to handle at first,
but as you add sugar, it dries and becomes workable.) At this
point you may store the dough for up to 7 days by wrapping in
plastic and storing in plastic bag in fridge. Bring to room temp
and knead again before using.
SHAPE MARZIPAN FRUITS
Break off 1" balls of marzipan and shape to look like lemons,
oranges, apples, pears, and strawberries. Too much while you are
shaping balls, chill briefly in fridge.
Shaping tips:
Lemons and oranges: roll on fine grated to create pebbly texture;
insert cloves, star-shaped ends up, for stem ends.
Apples: indent tops, insert cloves pointed ends up to represent
stems.
Pears: insert cloves pointed ends up for stems.
Strawberries: shape little flat marzipan stars to make caps; attach
caps with cloves and a dab of egg white.
COLOR FRUITS
Use small, soft paintbrush and paste food coloring diluted with a
little kirsch. Mix colors (a gem muffin pan makes a good palette)
and paint each fruit completely. Don't forget to paint the
strawberry caps green. Place painted fruits on wire rack to dry
overnight; turn occasionally so they dry evenly.
GLAZE FRUITS
In small saucepan, sitr together water and corn syrup to make
glaze. Bring to boil, remove from heal, and allow to cool until
just warm. Brush warm glaze on red part of each strawberry;
sprinkle with red sugar and place on wire rack to dry overnight.
Brush warm glaze on each fruit and let dry overnight on wire rack.
When glaze is dry on strawberries, paint glaze on strawberry caps
and let dry overnight. Put marzipan fruits in paper candy cups and
store in airtight container. Brightly colored marzipan fruits are
so festive and pretty, somehow they suit the holiday perfectly.