Quick Marzipan

Quick Marzipan
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons whole almonds
1/4 cup icing sugar
pinch salt
3 Tablespoons corn syrup (use white for a whiter color)
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (use clear vanilla for a whiter color)

Pulse the almonds, sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground and almonds begin to release their oils. Add the corn syrup and vanilla in a steady stream while the food processor is running. Process until mixture begins to clump together. Transfer to a bowl, and add water, a few drops at a time, as necessary until mixture can mold together, but is not sticky. 
Marzipan can be stored well wrapped at room-temperature or in the fridge or freezer, but is easiest to mold when fresh. Shape into desired forms. If you would like to coat the marzipan in chocolate or a candy coating, place it in the freezer first so it becomes really firm. Marzipan keeps well, especially when refrigerated or frozen. 

This is what I used to make my chocolate-covered Easter marzipan shapes from the other day's post. 

Chocolate-Covered Easter Marzipan

I wanted to make some kind of Easter treat this year, but I didn't just want to make a chocolate bunny. So I decided to make some homemade marzipan, and sculpt it into an Easter bunny, then coat it in chocolate. It was fairly easy to do - marzipan is not as hard to make as you may think. Then simply melt some chocolate, and grab some candy or sprinkles if you like for extra decoration. I ended up having enough marzipan to make a chick, nest, and a few Easter eggs as well. Pictured here on the left is a bunny with blue eyes and red sprinkles, a nest with some candy eggs, a chick, and some small pieces of marzipan coated in chocolate then sprinkles as Easter eggs. I used a pastry brush to paint on the chocolate, and used the tines of a fork to make feather designs in the chick. It was all fairly quick and easy to do, and makes a different kind of tasty Easter candy. Now that I know how to make marzipan, I will be able to use it to make other chocolates, icings, and candies. You may see my master marzipan recipe on here soon.