Marzipan

Soft, sweet almond marzipan made with only 3 ingredients. A very popular sweet in North Eastern Europe (Germany, Denmark, Sweden etc.) You can also use it to make cake decorations and even make little potatoes out of it! This recipe is straightforward to make if you have a food processor/blender. Because I used vanilla extract it turned out quite dark, usually it's more white/beige.

Here is the recipe for a full batch (I usually make a half batch). Pictures of the process are below:

Ingredients:

• 200 g almonds

• 150 g powdered or confectioner's sugar

• Use one of the following: 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp. rosewater, or 1 egg white lightly beaten until frothy (traditional), or water, or alcohol, or vanilla extract.

Directions:

1. Place almonds in a bowl.

2. Boil some water and pour over the almonds, completely covering them. Let sit for 5 minutes and drain off the water.

3. Rub the almonds until the skin comes off and discard the skin. You're essentially making blanched almonds.

4. Dry the almonds: let sit out overnight uncovered or heat in a preheated 150°F oven for 5-10 minutes to dry completely.

5. Add dried almonds to food processor. Pulse until the size of sand.

6. Add powdered sugar and pulse until combined. Then add in the liquid, starting with 1 Tbsp. You might only need 1.5 total Tbsp., stop when the mixture is sticky enough to stick to itself.

7. Take the marzipan out and press together until combined. Wrap and use, or store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Put almonds in a bowl.

Pour over boiling water and soak 5 minutes.

Then rub the skins off.

After rubbing off all the skins leave them to dry overnight or in a preheated low-heat oven for 5-10 minutes.

Place your dried almonds in a food processor.

And chop until sandy.

Then add your powdered sugar and some (not all) of your liquid.

And blend until it sticks together (mine might have been a bit too wet, i'll add less vanilla next time).

Press it into a nice mass.

Shape it into a log and wrap it.

If you want to make Marzipan Potatoes:

Cut small pieces of your marzipan and shape into little potato shapes. Then lightly roll in cocoa powder.

And there you have it! Some little potatoes!