Marzipan can be used in baking and for covering and filling cakes; it looks fabulous when colour is added to make cake decorations, figurines or stiffing dates. An alternative to Marzipan is the sugar paste that is ideal for those who are allergic to nuts as it does not have almonds in its mixture. In fruit cakes however the Marzipan is used as a base for the sugar paste.

Covers 25cm diameter cake  
Preparation and Cooking time: Approx 20 minutes

MARZIPAN

Lamb Brand Pure Ground Almonds 230g

Lamb Brand Icing Sugar 230g

Lamb Brand Table Salt ½ tsp

Egg 2 whites

Lemon Juice or Brandy for softening if needed

Food Colouring optional

Sugar Paste

Lamb Brand Icing Sugar 1000g

Lamb Brand Corn Flour some for dusting

Water 6 tbsp

Gelatine 6 tsp

Liquid Glucose 2 tbsp

Gum Tragacanth (Gum Arabia) 2 tbsp

Glycerine 2 tbsp

Marzipan: Knead the ingredients together until smooth, store in an airtight container or plastic overnight. Should the marzipan be too hard, soften by adding small amounts of lemon juice or brandy, if on the other hand it is too soft add additional icing sugar or ground almonds until you get the desired consistency. If you desire to colour the marzipan split the mixture into pieces according to the number of colours required, add the food colouring of your choice to each marzipan bit and work the colouring into the dough until the colour is shown throughout. To cover a cake work out with a rolling pin on a floured surface.

Sugar Paste: Place water in small saucepan, add the gelatine and stir over low heat until gelatine is dissolved. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in glucose syrup, glycerine and gum arabia and and let it cool down. Place the icing sugar into a large bowl and make a well in centre, gradually stir in the liquid. When mixture becomes too stiff to stir, mix with your hands. Turn icing onto a well dusted surface with icing sugar. Knead lightly and gently until smooth, pliable and without stickiness. For covering using either marzipan, sugar paste or both, dilute some icing sugar with hot water and brush it all over the cake so the marzipan or paste will hold better. Cover the cake and flatten with your hand until smooth.