Marzipan vs. almond paste
 

My first msg! :)

I have tried chocolate coated marzipan before. (Rum soaked citrus peels
mixed with marzipan, then dipped in dark chocolate). It was good, but
a bit too sweet to my taste.

I learned from a makers of the marzipan that I used (I used
Ondense(sp?) brand from Sweden that I found in a local supermarket)
that marzipan and almond paste have same ingredients, but almond paste
contains less sugar.

So, it seems like I could use almond paste instead of marzipan.
However, it makes me a bit suspcious that I have never ran into a
dipped chocolate recipe that calls for almond paste.

What do you think? Has anyone tried chocolate dipped almond paste?

Thanks!

Marzipan vs. almond paste
 

>What do you think? Has anyone tried chocolate dipped almond paste?

We do it if we make some varieties of Belgian chocolates where the
centers are made of marzipan paste which we made ourselves by grinding
the 2 parts blanched almonds with 1 part of sugar in a 3 roll
refiner..We then added other flavorants such as liqueurs,,nut paste and
even some candied fruits.

We then enrobe it with chocolate.

The French Marzipan are made with a ratio of 1.8 and 0.2 parts sugar
and glucose respectively with one part of almonds. I think that is the
common version of commercial marzipan.
It is sometimes called macaroon paste

The one we made is called as the raw marzipan as its not cooked unlike
the French version which a syrup is made by boiling sugar and glucose
to more than 120 deg C and then the nuts are added in before being
passed into the roll refiner.

Marzipan vs. almond paste
 

ugogirl wrote:
> My first msg! :)
>
> I have tried chocolate coated marzipan before. (Rum soaked citrus
> peels mixed with marzipan, then dipped in dark chocolate). It was
> good, but a bit too sweet to my taste.
>
> I learned from a makers of the marzipan that I used (I used
> Ondense(sp?) brand from Sweden that I found in a local supermarket)
> that marzipan and almond paste have same ingredients, but almond paste
> contains less sugar.
>
> So, it seems like I could use almond paste instead of marzipan.
> However, it makes me a bit suspcious that I have never ran into a
> dipped chocolate recipe that calls for almond paste.
>
> What do you think? Has anyone tried chocolate dipped almond paste?
>
> Thanks!

Yes. Almond paste may be harder to come by, though. The place I get it from
requires that one purchase it by the case (Four 7-lb tubs). If you hunt
around, you can probably find a source. You might try the King Arthur Flour
site, for example.

Marzipan vs. almond paste
 

"Chembake" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> >What do you think? Has anyone tried chocolate dipped almond paste?
>
> We do it if we make some varieties of Belgian chocolates where the
> centers are made of marzipan paste which we made ourselves by grinding
> the 2 parts blanched almonds with 1 part of sugar in a 3 roll
> refiner..We then added other flavorants such as liqueurs,,nut paste and
> even some candied fruits.

Did you liquify your almonds any before you put them through the three roll
refiner?

How did it turn out?

I've been tempted to try to make marzipan and I just so happen to have a
three roll refiner.

-Art

BTW: I have a Lloveras 500kg chocolate refiner 4 sale in case anyone is
interested...

Marzipan vs. almond paste
 

>Did you liquify your almonds any before you put them through the three roll
refiner?

>How did it turn out?


>I've been tempted to try to make marzipan and I just so happen to have a
>three roll refiner.


We chop the almonds and mix it wth sugar and then passed repeatedly
while gradually reducing the gap after each pass until a fine paste is
obtained. A slight amount of water may be added to prevent oiling.
..It is then cooked in a double jacketed pan until it feels dry to the
touch and then stored in a closed container.

Marzipan vs. almond paste
 

>The one we made is called as the raw marzipan as its not cooked

Sorry there was an error,,,, it was really dried( a jacketed cooker)
which I forgot to relate<grin>... if not it will remain as a moist
pasty material difficult to use or store <grin>..

Marzipan vs. almond paste
 

> We chop the almonds and mix it wth sugar and then passed repeatedly
> while gradually reducing the gap after each pass until a fine paste is
> obtained. A slight amount of water may be added to prevent oiling.
> .It is then cooked in a double jacketed pan until it feels dry to the
> touch and then stored in a closed container.

Interesting. Can you reduce the gap too much? I.e., turn it into almond
butter (like peanut butter) that is all oily. I wonder if I put it into my
melangeur first if that would get it to a state where I could do a single
pass through the roll refiner...

Are there any technical books that you can recommend on martzipan? I tried
to find some awhile back with no luck.

-Art

Marzipan vs. almond paste
 

>Interesting. Can you reduce the gap too much? I.e., turn it into almond
>butter (like peanut butter) that is all oily. I wonder if I put it into my
>melangeur first if that would get it to a state where I could do a single
>pass through the roll refiner

Not much....I can't ' exactly remember the final gap thickness but the
resulting nut paste ....that is they we add little cold water to
minimize it.
The guys who make marzipan paste usually store the nuts and sugar in
cold storage before its used the next day.

About books....I remember....there was a book used as referrence by the
factory mazipan guys titled The Complete Book of Marzipan authored by
a guy surnamed Storer....
IIRC it was published in the 70's...in UK ...From what I remember
browsing it in the past it was a good book for dedicated marzipan
craftsman.

Marzipan vs. almond paste
 

at Thu, 26 Jan 2006 15:45:40 GMT in <E86Cf.1805$Yi5.1728@trndny02>,
(Janet Puistonen) wrote :

>ugogirl wrote:
>> My first msg! :)
>>
>> I have tried chocolate coated marzipan before. ...
>>
>> So, it seems like I could use almond paste instead of marzipan.
....
>Yes. Almond paste may be harder to come by, though. The place I get it
>from requires that one purchase it by the case (Four 7-lb tubs).

http://www.chefshop.com has it. The 66% ratio is also nice because it
harmonises well with a good 60-70% bittersweet - about the same amount of
sugar.

It also helps to use a soft, mild chocolate that harmonises well with
almonds. Strong varietals (e.g. Ecuador Arriba or Chuao) pretty much
overwhelm the subtle almond flavour and are a poor choice.

Best choice is Amedei Madagascar, very mild, with hints of citrus and - you
guessed it - almond. Another good one is Guittard Chucuri.

I'll also say that had you dipped the marzipan in a sweet dark chocolate
(e.g. Callebaut 835-NV, a 55%) or a milk chocolate the marzipan's sweetness
wouldn't have been so jarring. Using a bitter chocolate with a very sweet
filling is risky. Usually that only works effectively when the sweet
filling is also sour - e.g. a lime jelly.

--
Alex Rast

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