Method

1. Fill a pan with enough water to cover the almonds. Bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat, and soak the almonds for about five minutes.

2. Drain the water and blanch the almonds.

Growing up in a Hindu household, I first encountered marzipan as a Diwali treat, thanks to my eclectic and creative grandmother, whose love for this subtle candy lives on in me.

The word 'marzipan' seems to have come to English from German, and possibly so has the candy. However, the basic idea of marzipan is not that exotic, as it consists of little more than almonds and sugar -- not that different from kaju katli.

Unlike my grandmother, I like to add a little bourbon to the mix, which along with the sugar acts as a preservative. The recipe below will keep in the fridge for several weeks. Adding dairy products or egg will reduce the shelf life of the marzipan.

To make it pretty, you will need food colour, imagination, and time. Traditionally, marzipan is shaped like fruit, but there's nothing in the rule book that says you can't make pigs, frogs, flowers, burgers, or anything else.

After the almonds have soaked in boiling hot water for a few minutes, the skins should come off easily.

The starting point: 300 g of almonds

3. In a food processor, grind the almonds into a coarse powder.

Marzipan

Ingredients

• Almonds - 300 g
• Powdered sugar - 225 g
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 6 tbsp bourbon or 1-2 tsp of rose water
  
• Food colours
• Cloves for decoration
  

Don't worry if the powdered almonds seem a bit lumpy, but make sure no chunks of almond remain.

4. Add the sugar, almond extract, and bourbon, and continue blending until the mixture turns into a firm dough. Too much almond extract will make the marzipan bitter, so add with caution.

The marzipan dough should be just soft enough to roll flat with a rolling pin, but firm enough to hold its shape.

5. Remove the dough from the food processor, and divide into segments. Add a drop of colour to each segment and work it in evenly. Add another drop if needed and repeat. Your hands will get oily from kneading the dough, so keep some kitchen towels handy. Combine colours to create new ones, e.g. red and blue make purple.

Knead each colour in thoroughly, and wash and dry your hands carefully between colours.

Marzipan shaped with tiny cutters

6. Roll out the marzipan with a rolling pin. Shape it by hand or with the help of a cutter. Roll the marzipan fruits lightly over a cheese grater to create the texture of a strawberry or orange. Use a toothpick to shape the strawberry leaves and make the indentations at the bottom of the orange.

A little round ball is the starting point for apples, pears, and strawberries.

Press cloves into the fruit for a finishing touch. These are just for show and not meant to be eaten with the marzipan, though they do lend a nice aroma to the box in which you store or gift the marzipan.

Merry Christmas!