Not very artistic; what can I make as an alternative to marzipan fruits?

SpoonyOh

If you've got kids, do a dry run with their playdoh - it's a very similar consistency once the marzipan's warm in your hands, and you can use the same tools to model it. Bespoke cake shops usually have info on sugarcrafting too.

Also, kudos to Adereterial who mentioned simnel cake - no-one seems to know what the hell it is any more!

sandy2_2

My mother used to make er own marzipan when I was a child, I'll see if I've still got the recipe I tink it involved ground almonds, almond essence, sugar and eg yolks Sorry can't find it, but there are lots of recipes if you do a google search. As an easy option, I'd buy a block of marzipan/almond paste, then warm it a bit and knead in more almond essence, roll out, then cut out shapes with pastry cutter, possibly dip in plain chocolate or dust with edible glitter. other easy option would be to roll into balls, dust with cocoa powder and add a small bit of holly for xmas pud

Mummy_Jo

I decorate cakes for a hobby and you can basically make anything you like with marzipan. You can also add a hardening agent (I use CMC) to help them dry solid and not not collapse - Be warned though this will affect the way the marzipan tastes. In my experience though most people don't really care.

I have made teddies, angels, people, snowmen etc in the past just through colouring it.

Hope you get on ok.

Jo

dolly_day_dream

I once covered glace cherries with marzipan and then dipped them in chocolate as a last minute gift for a friend as these were the things I had left over from the Christmas baking. They went down very well.

This year I intend cheating with the marzipan fruits cos Mr T had some fruit moulds (meant for ice cubes) earlier in the year and I am going to press the marzipan into them. Will be checking the price of ready made against the cost of ingredients for making it myself as I haven't done that before.

whitewing

These are great ideas. I'm getting too excited to wait until Xmas though so I may have to do a marzipan advent hamper.

I love Xmas and always have the (potted) tree up on 1st Dec so this will be a perfect start to the festive season. Thank you.

Gingernutmeg

Marzipan oranges are dead easy - just colour some marzipan orange (use paste rather than liquid colouring, it's so much easier and it won't go squishy), roll it into small balls then gently roll the balls over the smallest side of a cheese grater, to get the 'peel' effect. Then stick a clove in the top and you're done! You can even add a few drops of orange oil to the marzipan if you want more flavour - this is nice cut into discs and half-dipped in good plain chocolate

Things like pears and apples are easy too, just roll green marzipan into a ball or a 'pear' shape, use a clove for the stalk and gently brush on some red or darker green colouring powder to get the variegated effect on the fruit. Or you could do apricots, that's just peachy coloured marzipan rolled into an oval-shaped ball, and then you gently press a knife alonge one side to get the 'seam'.

catznine

dolly_day_dream wrote: »

I once covered glace cherries with marzipan and then dipped them in chocolate as a last minute gift for a friend as these were the things I had left over from the Christmas baking. They went down very well.

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For an adult treat soak the cherries for a couple of days in some brandy before covering in marzipan. After dipping in dark choc we use coloured pieces of marzipan/fondant icing to decorate the top to look like old fashioned Christmas puddings, (holly on icing).

Another thing we do is to make marzipan neopolitans, colour the marzipan, some pink, some green, some keep yellow, shape into square logs, push 4 together (like a battenburg) cover with dark chocolate, leave to set then cut into slices.

naturally_2

:T Good idea for stalks, gingernutmeg, I was going to suggest what we did which was use a cocktail stick dipped in brown food colouring and lightly !!!!! where the stalk should go.

edited to say I think MSE thinks I was being rude and has replaced my P word with exclaimation marks! :eek: :rotfl: Ummm... stab, lightly stab where the stalks should go.

Hmmm somehow I think thats much worse :rolleyes:

Badger_Lady

I just make marzipan with icing sugar, water and almond essence. It's basically almond-flavoured icing (the shop bought stuff never contains egg etc).

I've done chocolate-covered balls before, and mixed them up with home-made truffles to add some variation. I like the sounds of the sweet salami (though I'd have to rename it!) - my favourites are the marzipan bars you can buy.

Spendless

I saw marzipan vegetables in TK Maxx, tomatoes, green cabbabe, red cabbage, cauliflower and potato.