Using Up Leftover Marzipan Food

MARZIPAN ECCLES TARTS

Steps:

• Mix the dried fruit, grated apple or pear, Demerara sugar, marzipan, cloves and cinnamon.
• Divide the pastry into 6. Then assemble tarts one by one. Halve a chunk of pastry and roll out each halve to a circle about the thickness of a 50p piece on a floured surface. Spoon a sixth of the filling into the centre of one circle in a pile. Brush edges with egg, and lift the second pastry circle on top. Gently press down on the fruit to push out as much air as you can. Press the pastry edges to seal. Use an appropriate sized bowl, glass etc to help you trim the edges to a neat circle. At this stage, you can cover and chill the tarts overnight, or freeze for 1 month. Defrost before continuing. Brush with beaten egg, then make three small slashes with a knife in a row. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling.
• Pop the tarts in the fridge while you heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. When the oven is nice and hot, brush tarts all over with egg and sprinkle each with a little more sugar. Bake for 20 - 25 mins, until golden, then eat warm with ice cream or custard.

HOMEMADE MARZIPAN THINS

Steps:

• Make the marzipan: mix the almonds and sugars until well combined. Add the egg and almond essence and mix to a stiff paste, using your hands to press the mixture together. Knead the marzipan briefly on a surface dusted with icing sugar, then roll out to a thickness of about 1cm.
• Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, then carefully set marzipan on top. Leave to set for 1 hr. Beat royal icing and lemon juice together, then spread evenly over the marzipan. Leave to dry overnight.
• Cut the iced marzipan with small cutters and press a piece of crystallised fruit into the centre of each. Pack into boxes interleaved with baking parchment.