Sweets for Gifts

[jeral Profile]

As marzipan was mentioned somewhere, I notice that Dr Oetker have reductions on a lot of their products, with Asda being the cheapest prices I found.

Also, I found a recipe to make marzipan, which is easy enough but I reckon would work out about 50% dearer surprisingly.

Appropos of nothing, I learned an interesting little fact about butter, which is that its melting point is 98.6F, or mouth temperature. Hence the expression said of someone who appears cool, or maybe for instance a little too cool when fibbing.

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

If I am making plum kutchen, I always make my own marzipan ... I'm always surprised that there's enough left for the cake after my chef's perks

[scullion Profile]

Also, I found a recipe to make marzipan, which is easy enough but I reckon would work out about 50% dearer surprisingly.

i think you have to take into consideration that dr oetkers is only about 25% almonds and the rest is sugar and other things, whereas most homemade marzipan recipes are about 50% almonds - and you know what goes into it.
i don't know if they still sell it but the ikea marzipan used to be 50% almonds and quite cheap.

[jeral Profile]

Quite so scullion, 26% almonds Dr Oetker vs 50% for the recipe I printed. I should have spotted that before I bought it Dr O.'s has ethanol too, which I assume boosts the almond flavour, so I'd be surprised if I could tell much difference nor to be honest would worry too much.

I had the probably zany idea that I could use circles of marzipan to use as the cream layer (to avoid butter cream) in biscuits, with a jam scraping either side to stick it in place. The gloopy "cream" in bought biscuits takes me several doses of mouthwash to get rid of. It never used to - is that the palm oil?

[Uschi Profile]

Quite so scullion, 26% almonds Dr Oetker vs 50% for the recipe I printed. I should have spotted that before I bought it Dr O.'s has ethanol too, which I assume boosts the almond flavour, so I'd be surprised if I could tell much difference nor to be honest would worry too much.

I had the probably zany idea that I could use circles of marzipan to use as the cream layer (to avoid butter cream) in biscuits, with a jam scraping either side to stick it in place. The gloopy "cream" in bought biscuits takes me several doses of mouthwash to get rid of. It never used to - is that the palm oil?

Jeral, I mix amaretto and marzipan and spread this (about two to three mm) on round almind biscuits, then top with another biscuit. Then I make an icing from icing sugar and rose water with a little lemon, ice the biscuits thinly and stick half a glacé cherry on top.
My version of bakewell tarts. They are on the sweet side at first, but when they have matured in a tin for a few days they are fine.

[jeral Profile]

Thanks scullion, they look good. I have all except the icing sugar - I even bought some glacé cherries on the off chance I'd need them, so I'll try the marzipan as per your suggestion

[Pampy Profile]

They're Uschi the Biscuitmeister's biscuits.

[jeral Profile]

I wouldn't know since I thought it was my original idea to use marzipan as a filling but like every recipe it's almost certain to have been done before. Nevertheless, thanks Uschi as well. It's great anyway that we learn from each other and pass things on

[Uschi Profile]

Inspiration by board-pollination, so to speak.

I am sure someone else came up with amaretto-marzipan before me, I may even have seen/read it somewhere, but forgot. There is little new under the sun.

Looking at German/Swiss/Austrian recipes, there are quiet a few marzipan biscuits.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Thank you all, I hope I remember to refer back to this thread whenever I want sweet gift ideas! I made Florentines in the end, using the Mary Berry recipe. They came out far better than the ones I tried to make 50 years ago. It's quite hard to know when they're properly cooked without being over cooked. Easier in a fan oven I suspect.
Anyway. they look nice all bagged up and ready to give!

[jeral Profile]

...Florentines...
Anyway. they look nice all bagged up and ready to give!

Mmm, both delicious and visually attractive - good call

[Earthmaiden Profile]

The sequel to this was that I bagged up the best ones in a pretty presentation bag with ties and shoved the remainder, none of which had cooked for quite long enough and most not even covered with chocolate, in another presentation bag. Both went into the fridge overnight. This morning I thought it odd that the tie had disappeared from the bag but duly used another, wrapped the bag in Christmas paper and pretty string and put it with another small parcel into a gift bag for friend. Just before I left the house, I looked in the fridge for some reason and the nicely presented tied bag was there in front of my nose. Took me a few minutes to work out that I had wrapped the bag of rejects (which I'd totally forgotten about). Phew! Just had time to rectify the mistake .

[herbidacious Profile]

Does anyone have a T&T marzipan receipe? I realize that the last time I made it (a very, very long time ago) I used a vegan recipe for which I don't have all the ingredients.

Delia's seems to involve a double boiler (or at least a bowl over a pan of water.) I do have a double boiler, and if needs must, but...

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

Does anyone have a T&T marzipan receipe? I realize that the last time I made it (a very, very long time ago) I used a vegan recipe for which I don't have all the ingredients.

Delia's seems to involve a double boiler (or at least a bowl over a pan of water.) I do have a double boiler, and if needs must, but...

I use this recipe from Good Housekeeping Cookery Book:

225g/8oz ground almonds
125g/4oz caster sugar
125g/4oz icing sugar
1 egg
5ml/1tsp lemon juice
5ml/1tsp sherry
1-2 drops vanilla essence

Mix dry ingredients together; beat egg and add to wet ingredients and add to the dry ingredients, kneading well with hands.

tbh, I think I have always used almond essence instead of vanilla and probably didn't bother with the sherry

[herbidacious Profile]

Thanks. I have vanilla paste and almond essence, but not the sherry. I suppose I could use water instead if the texture is not quite right. Delia uses brandy, which I do have.

[herbidacious Profile]

Another question. I am only putting it on the top of the cake. Is the excess freezable? (assuming I can find room!)

[scullion Profile]

half the recipe?

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

Another question. I am only putting it on the top of the cake. Is the excess freezable? (assuming I can find room!)

I wouldn't have any leftovers as it would be my chef's perks

[herbidacious Profile]

I could halve the recipe, Scully, but half an egg... I suppose it's not that much of a faff. Not at all, really. Why did I think it would be?!

It remains to be seen whether I would want to eat the left overs. I am officially not a marzipan fan (making this for husband, primarily) but maybe homemade will be a different kettle of fish.

Feeling a bit sleepy now, though... I had somewhat involved dinner planned. But the marzipan will be done either today or tomorrow.

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

I could halve the recipe, Scully, but half an egg... I suppose it's not that much of a faff. Not at all, really. Why did I think it would be?!

It remains to be seen whether I would want to eat the left overs. I am officially not a marzipan fan (making this for husband, primarily) but maybe homemade will be a different kettle of fish.

the instructions in the book suggest just using water if you don't want to use egg to bind