Homemade marzipan with the Thermomix® takes exactly five ingredients and ten minutes. What most recipes leave out: bitter almond flavouring is the real flavour switch. Without it, the mixture tastes like almond paste. With 10 drops, it becomes proper marzipan.
We make this basic recipe whenever our supply runs out and we do not want to make a special shopping trip. Blanched almonds, icing sugar and amaretto are things any keen baker usually has in stock. You can also make icing sugar with the Thermomix® in just a few seconds.
Pistachio Marzipan with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 5 ✓
- 100 g blanched almonds
- 50 g unsalted pistachios unsalted
- 75 g sugar
- 15 g water
- 5 drops bitter almond flavouring
Instructions 0 / 3
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1
Grind the nuts.
Add almonds, pistachios and sugar to the mixing bowl and grind for 15 sec / speed 10.
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2
Add remaining ingredients.
Add water and bitter almond flavouring and mix for 30 sec / speed 4.
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3
Shape into a log.
Shape the pistachio marzipan into a log, wrap in aluminium foil and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Tip: You can also use blanched pistachios. We find the texture and colour are better when using unblanched pistachios.
Nutrition per serving
What makes the difference when grinding marzipan
The almonds go into the mixing bowl first. 8 seconds at speed 10 is enough to produce a fine, dry powder. Then add all the remaining ingredients at once: icing sugar (200 g), amaretto (20 g), water (10 g) and the 10 drops of bitter almond flavouring. Then 3 minutes on the kneading mode.
Important: do not grind the almonds for longer than 8 seconds. From about 10 to 12 seconds onwards, the Thermomix® starts to release the natural almond oil and the mixture becomes oily rather than dry. The goal is fine almond flour, not almond butter.
Why blanched almonds are essential
The brown skin of the almond gives marzipan a slightly bitter note and a gritty texture. For classic marzipan you need blanched almonds, that is almonds without their skins. You can do this yourself: blanching almonds with the Thermomix® takes just a few minutes, a brief scald and the skins slip right off.
When the mixture does not come together
After the kneading mode the marzipan mixture often still looks a little crumbly. That is normal. Take it out of the mixing bowl and knead it briefly by hand until it becomes smooth. Warmth and pressure are usually enough. Only if it refuses to bind at all should you add another splash of amaretto or a few drops of water.
Marzipan usually becomes too oily when it has been ground on speed 10 for too long. In that case, pressing the mixture briefly on a clean kitchen towel helps to remove the excess oil.
Four variations in one post
We have taken the basic mixture in four directions. Each one also takes only a few minutes in the Thermomix®.
- Pistachio marzipan (250 g): 100 g blanched almonds, 50 g unsalted pistachios, 75 g sugar, 15 g water, 5 drops bitter almond flavouring. Use unblanched pistachios: colour and texture are better.
- Coconut marzipan (250 g): 150 g almonds, 50 g desiccated coconut, 60 g sugar, 35 g water, 5 drops bitter almond flavouring. Variation: swap the water for rose water.
- Honey marzipan (150 g): 120 g almonds, 40 g honey instead of sugar, 10 g water, 5 drops bitter almond flavouring. Colour with food colouring before shaping if you like.
- Low carb marzipan (220 g): 200 g almonds, 200 g erythritol (pulverise first: 10 sec / speed 10), 20 g water, 5 drops bitter almond flavouring. Rolled into balls and coated in sugar-free chocolate, you have ready-made low carb chocolates.
What you can do with it
Homemade marzipan is a semi-finished product. It really comes into its own once you know how to use it further. We make a marzipan liqueur with the Thermomix® from it, for example, which we prepare every Advent season. For stollen, biscuits or marzipan potatoes you can use the basic mixture directly. Wrapped in cling film it keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Frozen in portions it keeps for several months.
Goes well with: Stollen, chocolate and waffles.
Also worth a look: Grinding maize with the Thermomix®.
