Marzipan: An Old World Holiday Tradition

 What is Marzipan you ask? Marzipan is a sweet and nutty old world culinary paste made from ground almonds and sugar. Marzipan is mainly used for sculpting intricate shapes. It is believed that marzipan originated somewhere in the Middle East and was introduced by Europeans in the late middle ages.
Germany, especially Lubeck, is known as the “World Capital of Marzipan.” The sweet and nutty paste is a popular confection in most European countries and is reserved as a special treat for the holiday season. In Italy it is frequently colored and then shaped into a variety of fruits and vegetables. In Spain it is often shaped into animals. Another tradition in Spain is to put a filling inside the animal shaped confections.
Marzipan can be shaped into just about any festive holiday shape for any time of year. Other traditional shapes for marzipan are New Year’s Good Luck Pigs, Valentine’s Day hearts and Easter eggs. In many countries it is used as icing on the traditional Christmas cake.
On November 17th, Clarice’s Cake and Candy Supplies will be holding a class teaching marzipan sculpting of fruits, vegetables and leaves. We will also be making a hand molded chocolate basket to put your marzipan fruit and vegetables in. Come try your hand at an old world tradition of sculpting this sweet and nutty paste. You will complete a beautiful centerpiece for the upcoming holidays and also start a new family tradition from the old world.
Making your own marzipan is quite involved. Buying it is much easier and faster. To give yourself more time to enjoy the fun of sculpting, we at Clarice’s Cake and Candy Supplies proudly sell Odense brand marzipan. Odense marzipan is made in Denmark using California Almonds.
Stop by Clarice’s Cake and Candy Supplies and start your very own old world holiday tradition. Clarice’s Cake and Candy Supply is located at 22936 Lyons Ave. In Newhall or call us at 661-259-0352.