Happy National Marzipan Day

One of the sweetest days of the year, National Marzipan Day, is on January 12. Marzipan is a confectionery

that is enriched primarily with sugar or honey and ground almonds, sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract. This treat is so special that the Persians and Italians  and Italideclare the credit creation.          

Marzipan might be a hard difficulty to remember, but its taste is guaranteed to leave you wanting more. Marzipan is a light and tasty confection that uses ground Almonds, sugar or honey, and some binding agents like corn syrup to give it consistency. It is commonly filled with chocolate, turned into fruit and vegetable into thin sheets of glaze for icing cakes.                

The ancestries of Marzipan aren’t entirely clear, but culinary historians have traced its most likely place of origin to Persia. But there is compelling evidence in support of Spain being the original creator of Marzipan. Marzipan, it is believed, was brought into Europe by the Turks through trade routes. During this era, the Hanseatic League transported great quantities of it, making it a staple of most of the towns throughout Europe. The cities of Lübeck and Tallinn have a proud tradition of marzipan manufacture and produce the highest quality marzipans with specific exact almonds.

Marzipan in the United States is not officially defined, but it is generally made with a higher percentage gap to almonds than almond paste. Normally, to make marzipan, raw almonds are cleaned and blanched and are then introduced to the rotating cylinders to rid their skins. It is followed by coarsely the almonds and crumbling them to paste with 35% of sugar. They are further roasted and cooled. Sugar and the binding agent are finally added to give a flexible texture, which can be shaped into almost anything — usually fruits or vegetables

There is no specific history for the creation of the National Marzipan annually on January 12th. 

5 FUN FACTS ABOUT MARZIPAN YOU SHOULD KNOW

1. It used to be a medical prescription

   Marzipan was prescribed as a medicine for mental diseases during the Middle Ages.

2. Good for your brain

   Marzipan is good for your brain health because almonds contain large amounts of lecithin responsible for stimulating the nerve cells.

3. Quality is key

   For a confection to qualify as marzipan, it must meet the required percentage of almonds prescribed and regulated by the manufacturers’ country.

4. They used to be only for royals

   The figures made from marzipan sugar paste and jellies were presented at the end of a medieval feast for royals.

5. Confectioners recognize only two methods

   Confectioners only recognize the German and French methods of making marzipan.

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