In other parts of the world, coming home and smelling the flavor of cinnamon and nutmeg are synonymous with the fact that the Christmas season is here.
However, in Andalusia, the characteristic smell of Christmas is the one of the Spanish Marzipan right out of the oven.
The Marzipan is one of the traditional Christmas cookies from Andalusia, and basically every part of the south of Europe.
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They might look like fancy cookies, but they are cheap and easy to make.
That’s why in this article, we will show you how to make Spanish Marzipan, some storing tips, and more about the history of this unique cookies recipe.
Background of the Dish
You have probably heard of the Spanish marzipan as it is popular in various parts of Europe and the Arab world.
However, a lot of people confuse it with Marzipan Candy, which is a recipe with similar ingredients but that varies the texture and the cooking of the dish.
Here we are going to talk about marzipan cookies, which is a traditional Christmas dish in southern Spain.
This dish came to the country with the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula during the 8th century.
Something that made these cookies so popular is that you only need a couple of ingredients to make them (almond, egg, and icing sugar) and that they are easy to make.
This is the Andalusian recipe for Spanish Marzipan, but it can vary depending on the region of Spain where you are. The Spanish marzipan it’s one of the most beloved Spanish Christmas Traditions from Andalucia.
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Things You’ll Need for Spanish Marzipan
The Spanish Marzipan is one of the most popular Christmas cookies for a reason.
You will only need 3 main ingredients to make them, and all the equipment that you need is a bowl, a baking sheet, and your hands.
Some people get intimidated by this recipe mostly because of the use of almond flour.
Rest assured because there is nothing to worry about, and if you know how to make Polvoron then this recipe will be easy peasy for you.
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups (450 g) ground almonds (or almond flour)
- 4 cups (450 g) icing sugar
- 1 egg white
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) Lemon juice (optional)
- 1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
- a pinch of salt
How to Make Spanish Marzipan – Step by Step Guide
- To start with this Spanish sweets recipe, make sure that the weight of the ground almonds (or almond flour) and the icing sugar is the same. If you follow the listed amounts, then the number is already the one indicated.
- After that, put them in the same bowl and mix them with the egg white and the lemon juice. Lemon juice gives a great flavour, but you can remove it, and if it needs moisture add water. For a different flavoring, you can use vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.
- Then, knead the mixture with your hands and join it until you form a compact and slightly sticky dough (the dough should not be all stuck in your hands). If you have a very liquid dough, add in equal quantities a little more ground almonds and icing sugar.
- Form a cylinder with the dough and wrap it in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Take it to the refrigerator to rest for at least 1 hour to harden. If your home is warm then take it to the freezer for an hour since otherwise, the cold from the refrigerator won’t be enough. You can even leave it in the fridge overnight if you want to.
- Preheat the oven to 180 ° C and take the dough out of the fridge. On the working surface, prepare a small bowl with water to wet your hands and prevent the dough from sticking to them.
- Prepare a non-stick baking tray or line it with parchment paper. If you don’t have any of those, you can use a little flour and butter to prevent the Spanish marzipan from sticking to the tray.
- Since the dough has a cylindrical shape, you can cut rounds of the size you want and give them different shapes. It can be classic shapes like round or rectangular or use cookie cutters to give them any shape.
- Put them on the tray and with a fork make the marks above, which are the typical Spanish marzipan marks. Then put a little egg wash and take them to the oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Keep an eye on them since they can get cooked very fast.
- Let them cool completely before removing them from the tray, otherwise, they may break when you try to remove them. Store them in a covered container for up to 7 days. They harden very quickly so the sooner you eat them the better.
Substitution of Ingredients
When it comes to the marzipan ingredients, there aren’t many changes that you can make, mostly because it only calls for 3 key ingredients.
If you have egg, ground almonds (or almond flour), and icing sugar, then you can make this recipe. If you don’t have any of those, then you won’t be able to do it.
However, you can make changes in the flavoring. Instead of using lemon juice, you can use a little bit of water to wet your dough and add vanilla extract or a teaspoon of cinnamon as the flavor.
If you liked this recipe, then I recommend you try other Andalusian recipes to enter the holiday season with the right foot.
You can try Spanish turron, Roscón de Reyes, Churros, or Spanish Christmas pastries – Roscos de Vino as they are some of the best Spanish Christmas food ideas.
Tips on Serving Spanish Marzipan
The Spanish Marzipan is a famous holiday cookies recipe, so they are eaten mostly during Christmas or the winter season.
They can be the perfect Christmas treat if you make the Figuritas de Marzapán (or marzipan figures) with Christmas shapes, like a tree, a present, or even a snowman.
You can have them for breakfast, as a dessert, or as a perfect afternoon snack. If you serve them with Spanish hot chocolate then they are the perfect Christmas dessert.
How to Store Spanish Marzipan
Marzapane is one of the most popular treats from Spain, and a big reason for this is because they are easy to make and they only need a couple of ingredients.
However, if you are a meal-prep fan, there are different ways of storing that will make your life easier.
You can store these Spanish cookies in a covered container for up to 7 days after you made them. Don’t store them for longer or they’ll harden.
You can make the dough ahead and store it in the cylinder shape. It can last up to 24 hours in the fridge and for 15 days in the freezer.
Recipe Card: Spanish Marzipan
Spanish Marzipan Recipe
In other parts of the world, coming home and smelling the flavor of cinnamon and nutmeg are synonymous with the fact that the Christmas season is here.
However, in Andalusia, the characteristic smell of Christmas is the one of the Spanish Marzipan right out of the oven.
The Marzipan is one of the traditional Christmas cookies from Andalusia, and basically every part of the south of Europe.
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups (450 g) ground almonds (or almond flour)
- 4 cups (450 g) icing sugar
- 1 egg white
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) Lemon juice (optional)
- 1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- For the first step, make sure that the weight of the ground almonds (or almond flour) and the icing sugar are the same. If you follow the listed amounts then the number is already the one indicated.
- Put them in the same bowl and mix them with the egg white and the lemon juice. Lemon juice gives a great flavor, but you can remove it, and if it needs moisture add water.
- Knead the mixture with your hands and join it until you form a compact and slightly sticky dough (the dough should not be all stuck in your hands). If you have a very liquid mass, add in equal quantities a little more ground almonds and icing sugar.
- Form a cylinder with the dough and wrap it in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Take it to the refrigerator to rest for at least 1 hour to harden. If your home is very warm then take it to the freezer for an hour since otherwise, the cold from the refrigerator will not be enough.
- Preheat the oven to 180 ° C and take the dough out of the fridge. On the work table, prepare a small bowl with water to wet your hands, and prevent the dough from sticking to them.
- Prepare a non-stick cooking tray or with parchment paper, or with a little flour and butter to prevent the marzipan from sticking to the tray.
- Since the dough is in a cylindrical shape, you can cut rounds to the size you want and give them different shapes. It can be classic shapes like round or rectangular or use cookie cutters to give them any shape.
- Put them on the tray and with a fork make the marks above, which are typical of marzipan. Then put a little egg wash and take them to the oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let them cool completely before removing them from the tray, otherwise, they may break when you try to remove them.
Notes
This Spanish cookie is probably one of the most unique Christmas cookies, however, if you want it to have the ultimate Christmas flavor, then you can add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon or 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 57Total Fat 3gCholesterol 3mgSodium 1mgCarbohydrates 6gSugar 5gProtein 1g
Hola, I’m Paulina! Together with my team, we are passionate about Southern Spain. Here we share all you need to know for great times in Southern Spain with the best places to visit, stay and, of course, the best food to eat.
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