Italian Marzipan Food

DOLCETTI DI MARZAPANE (ITALIAN MARZIPAN COOKIES)

Steps:

• Combine ground almonds, 2 1/2 cups sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla extract in a bowl; mix into a smooth dough.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Pour 1/4 cup sugar onto a shallow plate. Roll dough into walnut-size balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer carefully to a wire rack. Cool completely before serving.

ITALIAN MARZIPAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Blend almonds until floury.
• Place sugar and water in a medium/small pot and bring them to a boil, cook until when you dip a spoon inside the mixture, and you pull it out, the drops that fall stretch a bit before falling back into the pot.
• Remove from heat, add the almond meal and the vanilla extract, and mix to incorporate.
• Wet the working surface with your hands and pour the mixture over it.
• Wait till temperature decreases enough (careful, I got burned!) to work it with your hands. Give it at least 30-40 minutes.
• Knead the mixture with wet hands (wet them again if you feel like the dough is too dry) for about 5 minutes.
• This is when you can add the food coloring to change the dough color: add a few drops, work it at least for a minute and add more coloring if necessary, until you get the desired color.
• Roll out the marzipan and shape it or cut it out as per your needs.
• If not, form a ball, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate.

MARZIPAN

Steps:

• Blend the confectioner's sugar, finely ground almonds, egg whites, salt, and almond extract in a blender until perfectly blended. Cover and chill until firm, 24 hours.