marzipan

Liquorice Marzipan – my Christmas addiction

~ Ann & Chris Demant ~ Leave a comment

Licorice or lakrids as we say in Danish is a favorite of mine when it comes to sweets as well as alternative food spices. I use it regularly when i make my own sweets and as regular candy, my mom sends me a package once in a while, so I can build a stock.
Since I moved to Atlanta in April I haven’t really had any time to play in kitchen, but now that Christmas is around the corner, I have taken a few days out of the calendar to prepare the usual christmas cookies and candy.

I use liquorice products from Johan Bülow, a Danish entrepreneur how with an amazing drive and high quality products, and if you spent $90 or more you get free shipment world wide. However, if you don’t feel like spending that much money for a product you don’t know you can buy some cheaper liquorice powder (can be found in some middle eastern stores or online) and make the liquorice syrup your self (melt some salty liquorice in a little bit of water and wupti, you have made your own syrup).

The marzipan for this recipe is totally similar to a regular marzipan, but with half of the syrup replaced with liquorice in stead of simple syrup. So give it a try, it’s different but so delicious perfect for several Christmas treats 🙂


Ingredients (7 oz.)
3.5 oz. almonds, blanched
1 tbsp. simple syrup (find recipe below)
1 tbsp. salty liquorice syrup from Johan Bülow
1 drop almond extract
2 tsp. raw liquorice powder from Johan Bülow

Simple syrup:
9/10 cup sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
4/10 cup water

Place all the ingredients for the simple syrup in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup thickens a bit. It is important not to let the syrup reduce to much as it will give you trouble when you are about to make the marzipan. Transfer the hot syrup to a heat- and air tight jar. You will only need 1 tbsp. for this recipe, but you can store the syrup for next time or for other purposes.

Liquorice Marzipan 1Place the blanched almonds in a blender and blend until it turns into flour. For me it takes 45-60 seconds, but my blender is pretty tired these days. I recommend that you take a look at it after 30 seconds. You can always give it more, not less.
Transfer your almond flour to medium mixing bowl and use a finger to make a hole in the middle.
Pour simple syrup, liquorice syrup, almond extract and raw liquorice powder into the hole and use your finders to mix it all together. Keep mixing until it stops being sticky and turns into smooth and uniform mass. Before you know it, you have a perfect and really tasty liquorice marzipan. If you feel that the mixing process takes too long you can transfer the mixture to a blender/food processor and run it high speed for approximately 30 seconds. This solution is only recommended if you have a blender/food processor with a strong motor. Other wise you might end up ruining the machine.

Liquorice Marzipan 2

Wrap the marzipan in cling wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours before using it. This will allow the liquorice taste to be absorbed into the almond flour and create a beautiful sweet and salty flavor.

Liquorice Marzipan 3

Suggested use:
(1) Divide into 18 equally small pieces and roll them into ball. Cover with tempered white chocolate and drizzle with raw licorice powder and lemon zest,
(2) or these alternative liquorice wreaths from Sweet, Sour, Savory.

Liquorice Marzipan (18 of 19)

Bon Appétit friends!

Ingredients (200 g)
100 g almonds, blanched
1 tbsp. simple syrup (find recipe below)
1 tbsp. salty liquorice syrup from Johan Bülow
1 drop almond extract
2 tsp. raw liquorice powder from Johan Bülow

Simple Syrup:
225 g sugar
75 g corn syrup
100 ml water

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Marzipan and Raspberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

~ Ann & Chris Demant ~ 3 Comments

I don’t think that I should say an awful lot about these cupcakes, except from – try them, try them, try them!

The combination of marzipan, raspberries and cream cheese frosting is just fabulous. Had the cakes not been for a friend, I might have eaten enough to get a horrible bellyache 🙂 Already trying to find an occasion to bake them again!

 

Ingredients (20 cupcakes)

4 eggs, room temperature

1 1/8 cup granulated sugar

2 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. baking powder

4/5 cup marzipan

2/3 cup butter

60-80 raspberries

 

1 cup cream cheese

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Melt butter in a small sauce pan and let cool while preparing the rest of the ingredients. Grate the marzipan and set aside.

Whisk together eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add baking powder and vanilla extract and whisk for a few seconds. Shift in flour 1/2 cup at a time and whisk to combine.

Grate the marzipan and add to the batter. Whisk until combined, before pouring in the melted butter. Whisk until just combined.

Line standard muffins tins with paper liners. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each 1/3 full. Place 3-4 raspberries in  the middle of the and cover with the remaining batter. The muffin forms should be 2/3 filled.

Bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the baked cupcakes from the muffin tins and place on a wire rack to cool.

While the cupcakes cool, you can make the frosting. Whisk together cream cheese and vanilla extract until soft and fluffy. Shift in confections sugar and whisk until combined, soft and fluffy.

Place the frosting in a party bag with a piping tip of your own choice (I have used Wilton M1) and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

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If you think that the cupcakes look a bit plain and boring, you can decorate with all sorts of things.

On the above picture I have sprinkled some freeze dried raspberry and raw liquorice powder on top. Below, I have use orange zest and raw liquorice powder.

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Bon Appétit!

Ingredients (20 cupcakes)

4 eggs, room temperature

250 g granulated sugar

280 g flour

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. baking powder

2 dl marzipan

150 g butter

60-80 raspberries

 

250 g cream cheese

0.8 dl confectioners sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Easter Eggs with a touch of Lemon

~ Ann & Chris Demant ~ Leave a comment

Today it is Maundy Thursday – in Denmark this means that we have a holiday. Are you having a holiday in your country too?

Well, we have decided not to do anything, except from relaxing and enjoying each other, for the next few days. As we are staying in, and haven’d invited anyone over, the entire easter egg production is for our selves (except from those who were given away yesterday as a colleague retired and a former fellow-student graduated with a Master degree in Public Health – congratulation once again Louise, you deserved that grate) 😀

To get back to the easter egg production, we have made 5 different varieties which will all be coming on to blog in the following days. If you are curious, we can reveal, that we have made a variation with liquorice and white chocolate fudge – one with almond nougat, orange zest and almond brittle – one with marzipan, cognac, orange zest and roasted walnuts – and one with marzipan and freeze dried raspberries.

The recipe for this delicious lemon variation is, once again, stolen directly from Maja who makes the most wonderful chocolate recipes. One could wonder why she can keep that body shape with all that delicious chocolate she makes (she even has a chocolate fridge)! Check out her amazing blog – also if you don’t understand Danish. If you find something you want to try, we will happily translate the recipe for you 😀

 

Ingredients (20 eggs)

4/5 cup marzipan

1 organic lemon, zest and juice

2/3 cup white quality chocolate

1 tsp. freeze dried raspberries (for decoration)

 

Place the marzipan in a bowl and whisk until it gets soft. Add 1/2 of the lemon zest and juice, whisk again and taste. If think it needs more lemon, add the remaining zest and juice. Whisk until combined.

Form the marzipan to a ball and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

When cold, divide the marzipan into 20 equally sized pieces and from to small eggs (approximately 1 tsp. each). Refrigerate again while preparing the chocolate.

Chop the white chocolate, melt and temper it, in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Cover the easter eggs with the tempered chocolate and decorate with freeze dried raspberries 🙂

Serve as a petit four for your easter guest together with at good cup of coffee, or wrap them in zellophan and use it as a hostess gift if you are going out.

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Bon Appétit!

Ingredients (20 eggs)

200 g marzipan

1 organic lemon, zest and juice

100 g white quality chocolate

1 tsp. freeze dried raspberries (for decoration)

 

Strawberry Mazarin Dream

~ Ann & Chris Demant ~ Leave a comment

We really miss the summer…. And what other way to recreate great summer memories than a cake with strawberries?

The recipe is found on our favorite chocolate blog from which we often find inspiration (we thank Maja for her chocolate generousness). This particular cake is a modernized version of a strawberry tart, but with a more light consistency and a fresher taste of both strawberry and sour cream.

It is nothing less than fabulous (especially if you miss the summer and all the good it brings)!

 

Ingredients (10 servings)

Mazarin cake:

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup marzipan, grated

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup flour

 

Chocolate ganache:

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (i have used Amedei Toscano Black)

1/10 cup cream

1/2 tbsp. butter

 

Vanilla cream:

1/3 cup cream

1/3 cup sour cream

1 vanilla pod, seeds only

20-30 strawberries

 

Mazarin cake:

Whisk together butter and sugar until it get s light and fluffy. Add the grated marzipan and whisk until just combined.

Add one egg at a time and whisk until just combined. Then shift in flour and fold until the batter is combined and smooth.

Add the batter to an 8-inch springform pan covered with baking paper, and bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing the cake from the springform.

 

Chocolate Ganache:

In a heatproof bowl bring together chocolate, cream and butter. Melt over a pan of simmering water until the ganache is combined and shiny.

Add on top of the cooled mazarin cake.

 

Vanilla Cream:

Whisk the cream and seeds from the vanilla pod. Whisk until the the cream forms soft peak. Be careful not to over whisk. Add the sour cream and fold until evenly combined.

Pour over the chocolate ganache and decorate with strawberries 🙂

Serve with a good cup of coffee or an glass of sparkling wine.

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Bon Appétit!

Ingredients (10 servings)

Mazarin cake:

225 g butter, room temperature

250 g marzipan, grated

250 g granulated sugar

3 eggs

1.25 dl flour

 

Chocolate ganache:

80 g chocolate chips (i have used Amedei Toscano Black)

0.25 dl cream

1/2 tbsp. butter

 

Vanilla cream:

0.80 dl cream

0.80 dl sour cream

1 vanilla pod, seeds only

20-30 strawberries