Marzipan-msg 7/25/10
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| marzipan-msg - 7/25/10
Use of marzipan (almond paste) in sotelties in both period and the SCA. Working with marzipan. Example marzipan sotelties. (Sotelties are sculptures made from edible ingredients but not always intended to be eaten or even safe to eaten.) NOTE: See also the files: almond-milk-msg, sotelties-msg, nuts-msg, sugar-msg, sugar-paste-msg, gingerbread-msg, gilded-food-msg, candy-msg, p-fd-coloring-msg. ************************************************************************ NOTICE -
This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ Platina's "Pie Which They Call Marzipan" (VIII. 48) "... They are of the best nourishment, are well digested, help the chest, kidneys, and liver, increase fertility, arouse passion, and remove burning of the urine." Date: Wed, 1 Oct 1997 08:54:40 -0500 From: L Herr-Gelatt and J R Gelatt Subject: SC - badge malfunction PLUS Marzipan Here's a hint, folks: when making marzipan, the best grind is either by hand in a mortar/pestle (but you risk getting almonds that oil before you're finished, from the pressing/crushing action of the pestle), and the next best is the coffee mill. It's quick---no oiling. I had to resort to a handblender with a chopper attachment (since a normal blender's or food processor blades can't get them to grind small enough). The result was useable, but my marzipan sculpture had a rough quality reminiscent of cheap play clay. So my St. George was rather Mister Bill-like, and the dragon was pretty good (he needed to look disreputable). My Damsel was dismal, because I couldn't get a good texture to simulate hair. Normally I would have pressed the marzipan through a coarse mesh to get hair-like fine spaghetti for hair, but the almond paste was too coarse due to the coffee mill failure. The Bride and Groom, who resembled (roughly) St. George and the Damsel, were delighted, however, so I guess that's what counted. By the way, Gold leaf will stick to fresh Marzipan (still damp-ish) with no additional stick-um needed. If the Marzipan has sat a while, it needs to be misted with water or painted with sugar syrup (thanks Ras) to get the gold leaf to stick. My St. George had gold-leaf flecking his blonde hair, since I couldn't figure out how to make a halo. We did his celtic cross in gold-leaf-flecks on yellow, too. Plus, silver shot (for cooking---those little silver balls) makes great dragon-toenails! With the green dragon's spine-ridge and ribs picked out in gold-leaf, he was a favorite. I had quite a few complaints that he was slayed though. They didn't like the spear sticking out of his side (complete with gore)! I guess I've lost all credibility with the Reptilian Brigade. Ah well. Back to the pastry-board. Aoife. Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1998 10:11:59 +0100 From: "Yeldham, Caroline S" Subject: SC - RE: Marzipan/Marchpane Stefan li Rous said > Yes, I believe Marzipan is period and was used in this way. I think it > is just ground almonds.
things. However, its not just ground almonds. Its half ground almonds, half finely pounded sugar, mixed with egg to make a paste. The paste is then used rather like modelling clay to make whatever shapes you want, and painted appropriately. One thing to note is that which bit of the egg you add to the powder mixture affects how mouldable the final mixture is. Egg yolk or whole egg makes the mixture taste better, but the paste won't mould as finely as when you add egg white. It's OOP but if you want really finely moulded marzipan (not edible) - - replace some of the sugar with cornflour - that works very well. We did it once when we ran out of sugar.
Date: Thu, 02 Apr 1998 17:16:34 -0800 From: "Crystal A. Isaac" Subject: Re: SC - RE: Marzipan/Marchpane Yeldham, Caroline S wrote: > Marzipan or marchpane was used to make subtleties, amongst other > things. However, its not just ground almonds. Its half ground almonds, > half finely pounded sugar, mixed with egg to make a paste. The paste is The recipes I have seen and used contain almonds, sugar and rosewater (sometimes orange flower water). I grind the (blanched and peeled) almonds in a eletric food processor, add slightly less sugar (grind again) and enough rosewater to help it stick together (grind more). I've found that putting the blanched and peeled almonds in a hot oven for a minute to dry them seems to help the consitency of the marzipan. I was never very good with play-dough so I usally make small balls, squash them flat and bake. If you try this at home, use baker's paper (parchment?) on your cookie sheets. Evil, sticky things will happen if you do not. Artistically Talented people who want to make cool things with marzipan should look at "Banquetting Stuffe" edited by C. Anne Wilson. IIRC, there is an essay on the forms and uses of marzipan in mid/late english renissance. There was a TI article about marchpane some time ago, but I do not remember who wrote it. Humm, re-reading my post I noticed that I use marchpane and marzipan interchangably. Is there a difference? Crystal of the Westermark Date: Fri, 3 Apr 1998 15:44:26 -0600 (CST) From: alysk at ix.netcom.com (Elise Fleming) Subject: SC - Re: Marzipan/Marchpane Greetings! Crystal noted that there was a T.I. article about marzipan a while ago and wondered who wrote it. I did. I may well have it stored in my computer, so if someone wants an e-mail copy, post me privately so I can post you back off your request. I, too, have wondered if there is a technical difference between marzipan and marchpane. (Haven't looked it up in the OED. Anyone own one??) _I_ use marzipan to mean the almond/sugar/liquid mixture and marchpane to refer to marzipan made _into_ a marchpane. That's a layer of marzipan put on wafers, or on a wafer, usually with a raised edge to the marzipan, and then baked. The marchpane can be iced with "icing" (sugar and rosewater) to give a coating that looks like "ice". "Thingies" can be placed on top of the marchpane...Figures sculpted of marzipan or sugarpaste, a bush made from a branch of rosemary, a sculpted building, etc. Marchpanes could be small or huge. They were the center of the "banquet" (the dessert course) in Elizabethan and Stuart times. They also were necessary components (if memory serves) for funerals and wedding foods.
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 13:28:38 -0400 From: "Gedney, Jeff" Subject: RE: SC - Marzipan for Sotelties > Does anyone have a good recipe for soteltie-grade marzipan that can be > sculpted in the round? The stuff I've come up with is great for bas-reliefs, > but doesn't stand up very well. > > Rudd Rayfield I have had good success with store bought varieties they are generally two types of almond paste products, one is labelled "Marzipan", and one is labelled "Almond Paste" The almond paste is coarser grained and does not color or sculpt well. Be sure to get the "Marzipan". also make sure that the Marzipan is fresh, by squeezing the tube, and making sure it is pliable. Some of the stuff in stores is older than T Rex! (the band OR the dinosaur, take your pick!)
a few notes: If the marzipan is too loose to work with, then quickly knead in some confectioners sugar. Work fast! The surfaces harden and start to crack quickly, and cannot be easily restored. Put as fine a coating of vegetable oil on the hands as possible (Too much will loosen the Marzipan), or dust them liberally with confectioners sugar. Do not spray or brush with water if it dries out, if possible, just quickly knead it until pliable(or it crumbles). Keep whatever you are not working with wrapped completely in plastic. If you have kept it in the fridge, knead it until warm enough to work IN THE PLASTIC WRAPPING. The less time exposed to air, the better the results. Practice, practice, practice! The best Roses I made for a cake I made with marzipan!! (until I got into gum paste, which I do not believe to be period!) Speaking of recipes, a while ago, a period recipe for "sugar paste" was posted. Could someone reprise that one? I lost the original. brandu Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 17:55:45 -0500 (CDT) From: alysk at ix.netcom.com (Elise Fleming) Subject: SC - Re: Marzipan for Sotelties Brandu wrote: >The best Roses I made for a cake I made with marzipan!! (until I got >into gum paste, which I do not believe to be period!) > >Speaking of recipes, a while ago, a period recipe for "sugar paste" >was posted. Could someone reprise that one? I lost the original. Yes, gum paste is period - late Tudor/Elizabethan, and probably earlier in Italy. One comment on sculpting with marzipan - Keep in mind that it might also have been put over an armature, that not the entire thing would have been edible, especially if one is dealing with a large item. Mashing marzipan (catchy song title!) onto an armature would require less stiff marzipan. Alys Katharine Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1999 07:00:00 -0800 From: varmstro at zipcon.net (Valoise Armstrong) Subject: SC - Welser marzipan part 1 (long) was Re: Puck's marzipan I've been following this thread with great interest but haven't commented since most all of my books are still in storage. I did have Sabina Welserin on my hard drive and remembered that there was also a marzipan on wafer recipe in it. There is a confusing section about the box, which I do not completely understand, maybe it's to store the finished marzipan?
confection on paper. I'm including the German in a second post as it's pretty long
water, take them out in the morning. Next pound them well until they become oily, pour a little rose water on them and pound them further. When they become oily again, then pour a little more rose water thereon. Do this until they no longer become oily. And pound the almonds as small as possible. After that take a half pound of sugar, pound not quite all of it in, leaving a little left over. Next, when the almonds and sugar are pounded well together, put them in a bowl, take the lid from a small box, loosen the rim completely, so that it can be detached and put back on again, however leave the lid and the rim together. Take wafers and make them about as wide as a pastry shell, very round. Spread the almond paste described above with the fingers onto the wafers, moistening the fingers with rose water and dipping the almond paste into the sugar, which you have kept in reserve. After that, when you have spread it out evenly with your hands, take the sugar that you have reserved and sprinkle it through a sieve evenly over the marzipan. And take a small brush and dip it in rose water and sprinkle the marzipan overall, so that the sugar is dissolved. Then let it bake. Check it often, so that it is not burnt. It should be entirely white. The amount of a half pound is necessary, so that the oil remains.
Pound the almonds, as you would to make marzipan, put sugar thereon, but not too much, take after that the chanterelle mushroom mold, clean it and take a small brush, dip it in almond oil and brush the mold with it, also with a brush of rose water. And put the almond paste into the mushroom mold and blow through the tube [so that the almond mushroom falls] onto a sheet of paper, and let it bake in a tart pan and sprinkle it with starch flour, then they will be white. Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1999 07:35:07 -0800 From: varmstro at zipcon.net (Valoise Armstrong) Subject: SC - Welser marzipan part 2 (long) Here's the German for the marzipan recipes from Sabina Welserin's cookbook. I've used modern s's and double ss instead of her older forms. Valoise 22 Welt jr ain gut marciban machen Erstlich nempt ain halb pfund mandel vnnd waicht jn jber nacht ein jn kaltt rerwasser / ziecht jn am morgen aus, darnach last jn woll stossen, bis er ellig wirt, giest ain wenig rossenwasser daran vnnd land jn wider stossen, wirt er wider eilig, so giest wider ain wenig ain rossenwasser daran, das thiet so lang, bis der mandel nimer eilig wirt, vnnd last den mandel auff das allerklenest staissen / darnach nempt ain halb pfund zucker, stossent jn gar daran, last ain wenig jber, darnach, wan der mandel vnnd zucker klain anainander erstossen jst, thiet jn jn ain schissel, nempt ain lidlen von ainem ledlin, thiet den ranfft gantz daruon, das es ab- vnnd zugang, last das lidlin vnd ranfft beyainander, nempt mandatten vnnd machens fein wie brait das bedelin jst, fein rundt, darnach streichen den gemelten mandel auff den oblatten mit den fingern, netzen die finger mit rossenwasser vnnd den mandel tuncken jn den zucker, den jr jber habt gelassen / darnach, wan es mit der hand aufs gleichest ist auffgestrichen, nempt darnach den zucker, den jr jber habt gelassen, set jn mit ainem siblin auff das martziban auffs gleichest / vnnd nempbt ain bristlin vnd dunckts jn ain rossenwasser vnnd sprenckt das martziban allethalben, darmit das zucker ergang, darnach last bachen, secht offt darzu, damit es nit verbachen werdt / es soll gantz weisss sein, die gressin von ainem halb pfund jst, damit wax anklaibt. 51 Pfifferling von mandel Stosss die mandel, als welest ain marciban machen, thu zucker daran, aber nit gar zu vill, nim darnach den pfifferlingmodel, mach jn sauber vnnd nim ain birstlin, duncks jn mandelell vnnd birst den model damit, auch mit ainem birstlin rossenwaser, vnnd thu den mandel jn pfifferlingmodel vnd blass bey dem ror auff ain bogen babir vnnd lasss jn ainer tortenpfannen bachen vnnd see krafftmell darauff, so werden sy weisss. Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1999 17:43:39 -0400 From: Philip & Susan Troy Subject: Re: SC - Almond Paste/marzipan
> Please tell me the difference between marzipan and almond paste. I thought > marzipan was made from the paste. But the tube of paste I see in my local > store has the same ingredients listed as the tube of marzipan beside it. The > color is a little different. > > Helen Almond paste is moister, stickier than marzipan, and is more used for coating or filling things than marzipan, which is better suited for holding shapes.
flavors them and helps keep them moist. Adamantius Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1999 23:36:16 -0000 From: "=?iso-8859-1?Q?Nanna_R=F6gnvaldard=F3ttir?=" Subject: Re: SC - Almond Paste/marzipan Almond paste is raw, marzipan is cooked (or heated, at least). Otherwise, they are much the same. Nanna Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1999 20:31:41 -0400 From: Philip & Susan Troy Subject: Re: SC - Almond Paste/marzipan Nanna RˆgnvaldardÛttir wrote: > Almond paste is raw, marzipan is cooked (or heated, > at least). Otherwise, they are much the same. > > Nanna Um, how do you mean, cooked? Do you mean it is cooked afterwards, or that cooking is somehow integral to the process of making marzipan? Yes, it's often cooked in the form of cakes and such, but often eaten uncooked, as well. I've never seen a period recipe that required it except as an additional step, i.e. yes, you do bake pie crust dough, but you don't need to bake it to make it. Adamantius Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1999 01:23:16 -0000 From: "=?iso-8859-1?Q?Nanna_R=F6gnvaldard=F3ttir?=" Subject: Re: SC - Almond Paste/marzipan Adamantius wrote: >Um, how do you mean, cooked? Do you mean it is cooked afterwards, or >that cooking is somehow integral to the process of making marzipan?
some sort of cooking or heating - mixing the pounded almonds with a hot sugar syrup, or heating them gently in a saucepan with the sugar, or whisking eggs and sugar in a bain-marie, then adding almonds. And the almond paste recipes do not.
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1999 18:48:17 -0500 (CDT) From: alysk at ix.netcom.com Subject: SC - Re: Almond Paste and Marzipan Greetings! I have a hunch that the two terms mean whatever someone _thinks_ they mean. Early marzipan recipes don't seem to include cooking. I'm probably wrong :-) but my memory seems to tell me that most period recipes are for "marzipan" or "marchpane" but are not entitled "almond paste". And, while almond paste is modernly put under a layer of icing on certain cakes, older recipes called for "marzipan" under the icing. I usually think of almond paste as the stuff one can start with to make marzipan, after adding lots more sugar. Homemade marzipan usually isn't as sweet as commercial marzipan. Period marzipan called for rosewater, orange juice or orange flower water. The latter makes a _very_ interesting confection, since the flavor is not what one would expect from "marzipan". Someone asked about a lack of almond flavor. Well, with the addition of orange flower water, one would taste more of that rather than more of almonds. And, I think the same is probably true for adding rosewater, which is called for in most English, period recipes. Modern stuff lacks the rosewater or other flavoring ingredient which is (always?) added in period recipes. For my own part, I've found that a food processor can make a fairly smooth marzipan. As someone else noted, the almonds should be processed in small batches. For me, a pound of almonds is done in three batches. I process one-third and then put it into a separate bowl. As each third is done, it's put into the bowl. Then I go back and take a third or even a quarter of the first processing (which contains sugar and rosewater). That stuff is put into a different bowl. I then go through the whole process a third time. You can feel the difference in the size of the ground almonds between your fingers. However, at no point will the stuff get as finely ground as modern commercial paste which uses many blades and more processing. I would suppose that if one had a big enough mortar and good muscles, the paste could be reduced to even further smoothness. Modern blenders don't have quite the same "action" as a medieval mortar and an hour or more of pounding. Yes, you had better refrigerate the marzipan or you will eventually grow an intriguing variety of mold! Alys Katharine Date: Fri, 5 Nov 1999 09:58:36 EST From: ChannonM at aol.com Subject: Re: SC - Chocolate - Yes I know its not period! If you would like to employ a heraldic device, I suggest going to a cake makers store and look through their chocolate molds, you can even paint with coloured chocolate that is made with the pretend "white chocolate". The sizes would be perfect for individual servings at a feast. You could even go to the extant of making say a marzipan shield and making the various charges in chocolate and placing them appropriately upon it. I have used various molds for doing marzipan sublteties. I have a recipe that works well for the sheild (I did various devices for a 15thC feast a few years ago). I'll post that now. Marchepane The sweet confection, currently known as marzipan is made from ground almonds, rose water, confectioners sugar and egg whites. This sweet was a discovery of the later Middle Ages as it required refined sugar to make. The origin of marzipan is difficult to determine as many countries claim its discovery. It is believed, however, that the name marchpane was first used in Italy in the 13th Century11. Many countries have claimed to be the place of origin of marzipan, however, it should be noted that the name marchpane can be compared to the Arabic word mautaban--meaning glazed vessel12. Recipes for marchpane can be found that date back as far as 13th Century France13. The extant recipes describe how to colour, flavour and create "subtleties". Subtleties were sweets that were often used as Illusion Foods. An Illusion food was a food made to look like something it wasn't. Marzipan was sculpted into shapes of castle scenes, heraldic coats of arms, diminutive fruits and vegetables, and allegorical animals. These fantastic creations would be paraded around the feast hall only to be dismantled and eaten by the guests. The following is a recipe reproduced from the manuscript entitled "Delights for Ladies" by Sir Hugh Plat (1609). The Art of Preserving 12. To make an excellent Marchpane paste to print off in moulds for banquetting dishes. Take to every Iordan Almond blanched, three spoonefuls of the whitest refined sugar you can get: searce your sugar, and now and then, as you see cause, put in two or three drops of damask Rose-water: bear great labour, vntil you have brought it into a dry steffe paste: one quarterne of sugar is sufficient to worke at once.........You may mix canel or ginger in your paste, & that will both grace the taste, and alter the colour, but the spice must passe thorow Directory: files -> FOOD-SWEETS files -> Personal Essay Samples for Graduate School Application files -> Personal/Reflective Essay files -> Writing personal statements and essays files -> The College Application Essay files -> Iris Rodriguez Prof. Steve Tillis files -> Thematic Essay – Writing Your Essay’s Conclusion files -> Theme Statements vs. Topics files -> Sample Essay FOOD-SWEETS -> Note: See also these files: recipes-msg, pastries-msg, cheesecake-msg, gingerbread-msg, candy-msg, cookies-msg, sugar-msg, honey-msg, hais-msg, 3-Span-Sweets-art, bread-pudding-msg Download 0.56 Mb. 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