Toasted Marzipan

I first tasted marzipan while traveling in Toledo, Spain. I purchased a box from a gift shop at a convent, whose nuns have been making treats for centuries. To me the candy tasted heaven sent. I’ve had a love affair with it ever since.  Their bite-sized shape makes them perfect to have a couple (or a few) with coffee or tea. I enjoy making them around this time of year as the nuns originally created them to be a Christmas treat. Luckily, marzipan is very easy to make and is naturally a gluten-free and dairy-free treat.

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Toasted Marzipan

Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Servings: 48 bite size pieces
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond meal

• 1 cup cane sugar, puréed to form powdered sugar*

• 1 large egg, white and yoke separated

• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

1. Puree the sugar in a blender until it is the consistency of powdered sugar. This will help the sugar incorporate into your dough and prevent the candies from having a gritty consistency.

2. Combine the almond meal, sugar, egg white and extract in a mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients until they start to form a dry dough. Use your hands to finish kneading the ingredients into a firm ball. The warmth of your hands helps the dough come together.

3. The dough will be the texture and consistency of a firm playdough. This is where the fun begins. Form the dough into bite size shapes of your choice. I like to use silicone flower molds, but simple ovals or small logs decorated with lines from a knife, fork or toothpick also look nice. Be sure to press the dough firmly in the mold if using. Once formed, turn the dough out of the mold and set the formed pieces on a cookie sheet and set aside.

4. Once all the dough has been formed into shapes, prepare an egg wash. Add a splash of water (1-2 tsp) to the reserved yoke. Beat it well until it is a thin consistency. 

5. Preheat the broiler of your oven. (I use the low broiler setting on my oven. If your oven only has one setting I recommend using the middle shelf of your oven for toasting rather than the upper shelf.)

6. While the oven is heating, use a pastry brush to apply a thin coat of egg wash to each candy. 

7. After brushing each candy, place the baking sheet on the top shelf of the oven and leave your oven light on. Toast the candies for 30-60 seconds or until the tops are golden brown. DO NOT leave your candies unattended. They burn very quickly. 

8. Allow to cool and enjoy.

*You can use alternate types of dried sugar like coconut or demerara, but the marzipan will be darker in color. This is one of the few times I use white sugar in my kitchen. Regular powdered sugar can be used, however commercially available powdered sugar contains corn starch and should be avoided if you are trying to avoid corn or grains.

(This blog post is not sponsored by any manufacturer. However, at no cost to you, Relish Health may receive a commission on purchases made through an Amazon link.)

Got Almond Milk?

If you have taken a trip to the dairy aisle lately you are probably aware of the vast array of dairy-alternative milks on the market these days. For a variety of reasons, minimizing dairy can benefit your health. Luckily, there are a number of delicious non-dairy drink options on the market that allow you to serve your health without sacrificing flavor. However, you don't have to settle for the options in the store. Nut milks are incredibly simple for anyone to make, especially almond milk. Once you’ve tasted the difference by making it yourself, it is easy to find those five minutes required to make the milk regularly. This recipe is creamy and mild in flavor and is a great substitute for cow’s milk in coffee, cereal, or baking.  It's a staple in my family's refrigerator.

Almond milk

Yield: appx. 1 qt

Time: 5-10 minutes active

1 cup raw almonds

3 ½ cups water plus more for soaking

pinch of sea salt

1. Place almonds in a bowl and fill with water to cover. Soak the almonds for 4-6 hours.

2. Rinse the almonds well and place in a high speed blender with 3 ½ cups of fresh, preferably filtered water. Add a pinch of sea salt.

3. Blend the mixture for 30-60 seconds until the mixture is puréed.

4. Filter the almond mixture through a fine mesh sieve, cheese cloth or nut bag.

5. Store in an air-tight, glass container in the refrigerator.

Notes:

• Consume within 3-4 days

• If you are short on time, pour boiling water over your almonds and let them sit for 30 minutes before blending. The almonds are very forgiving. I will often let them soak for up to 24 hours.

• Optional: To make vanilla sweetened almond milk, add 2 pitted dates and a ¼ of vanilla extract to the blender during mixture.

• I find that using a nut bag to be the easiest way to filter the almond puree.

• Save the pulp! The added bonus of making your own almond milk is that you can enjoy the entire nut. The pulp still contains fiber and nutrients and can be added to smoothies, cookies, oatmeal, breads and countless other options.

Additional articles about dairy:

Milk and Health: Research from the New England Journal of Medicine

Think you know dairy?

How to Replace Butter When Baking

Homemade Coconut Yogurt