Almond Paste

MandyM

Would anyone be able to tell me where I can find almond paste in Dublin (not marzipan!).

The usual answers would be to look at Fallon & Byrne, etc etc, which I would if I wasn't too lazy to make my way there at the weekend.

Anyone?

olaola

It's so very easy to make it yourself!

8oz/225g ground almonds
4oz/110g icing sugar
4oz/110g caster sugar
1 large egg, lighty beaten
6-8 drops of lemon juice

Sift the icing sugar, caster sugar and ground almonds together. Add in the beaten egg and lemon juice and use them to bind the mixture together.
Knead the mix together (similar to pastry) and wrap it tightly in clingfilm; store in the fridge until required.

MandyM

olaola wrote: »

It's so very easy to make it yourself!

8oz/225g ground almonds
4oz/110g icing sugar
4oz/110g caster sugar
1 large egg, lighty beaten
6-8 drops of lemon juice

Sift the icing sugar, caster sugar and ground almonds together. Add in the beaten egg and lemon juice and use them to bind the mixture together.
Knead the mix together (similar to pastry) and wrap it tightly in clingfilm; store in the fridge until required.

I figured it might gave to come down to making it myself, lol! Thanks for the recipe, I'll give it a try.

I've also found almond paste recipes that don't use egg, still unsure about which route to take, the history of almond paste & all the varieties is quite complex!

Thanks again

olaola

I think some bakeries would sell it, but maybe not after Christmas. You could ask I suppose. My mother used to buy hers in Kylemore. You could check in Superquinn too?

Twenty10

Is this the stuff you get in the centre of an almond croissant?? Just curious what its used for.

MandyM

Twenty10 wrote: »

Is this the stuff you get in the centre of an almond croissant?? Just curious what its used for.

That is exactly what it is! It's not as sweet and pliable as marzipan so mostly used in baking.

I need it for an almond cake recipe though

MandyM

olaola wrote: »

I think some bakeries would sell it, but maybe not after Christmas. You could ask I suppose. My mother used to buy hers in Kylemore. You could check in Superquinn too?

Hmm, I haven't tried looking at Superquinn yet, will do so on my way home today. Will also see about bakeries. Thanks!

Acoshla

Am I confused or are you looking for bog standard almond paste, that comes in a packet? Because if it is, Tesco have it, some are marzipan and some are almond paste but if you're buying it these are identical, homemade almond paste is totally different in flavour and texture, but all the bought ones are the same, unless like I said you're talking about something completely different?

I think it's frangipane that's in almond croissants, bakewell tarts, etc?

rubadub

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almond_paste

Almond paste is made from ground almonds or almond meal and sugar, typically 50-55%, with a small amount of cooking oil, beaten eggs, heavy cream or corn syrup[1] added to bind the two ingredients. It is similar to marzipan but marzipan contains more sugar than almond paste, and often contains additional ingredients such as food preserves and food coloring. Almond paste has much less sugar, typically 50-55% compared to 75-85% sugar for marzipan of cheap quality (for comparison: Lübecker Marzipan contains 66% almonds). Almond paste is used as a filling in pastries, but it can also be found in chocolates and as a higher quality alternative to marzipan. In commercially manufactured almond paste, ground apricot or peach kernels are sometimes added to keep the cost down.

I love almonds but despise marzipan and those almond slices, they always tasted fake to me. Must be that crap they are putting in, and I reckon almond slices have almond essence. I can't stand some strawberry flavouring either, but love strawberries.

Acoshla

Yeah homemade almond paste tastes totally different, the bought stuff has such a fake almond taste and smell to it, it's so strong.

Gleisweiler

Have you tried the United Yeast Co. in College Green? They are a well established company and may well be able to help you

TheresaT

Some bigger Tesco stores do a good almond paste but of course I can't remember the name of it! It's not a Tesco own brand one and you can probably get it in other shops but I haven't seen it anwhere else. It comes in a shiny pink packet and it has a lovely natural flavour. Not quite as nice as homemade but a good alternative.

Edit:
http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/tesco-price-comparison/Home_Baking/Anthon_Berg_Raa_Marzipan_270g.html?BannerID=89&AffiliateID=94852&AffiliateName=Ciao+UK&AffiliateBannerID=0&utm_source=AffiliateWindow&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_content=0&utm_campaign=94852

this is the one I'm thinking of. It's called Anthon Berg. Says marzipan on the packet but it's not anything like the really yellow artificial marzipan that you can buy.

Acoshla

TheresaT wrote: »

Says marzipan on the packet but it's not anything like the really yellow artificial marzipan that you can buy.

The artificial yellow marzipan is golden marzipan, the other is just natural marzipan, it just has yellow colouring in it, traditionally it was always yellow, but other than the lurid colour they are the exact same, in most brands anyway.

TheresaT

Spadina wrote: »

The artificial yellow marzipan is golden marzipan, the other is just natural marzipan, it just has yellow colouring in it, traditionally it was always yellow, but other than the lurid colour they are the exact same, in most brands anyway.

I do find most of the commercial marzipans / almond pastes are a very smooth texture and too much almond essence which I don't like. I prefer when they have a grainier texture and a more natural almond flavour.

You're right, I think marzipan and almond paste are interchangeable terms but I've come to think of marzipan as the really artificial one and almond paste as actually having some almonds in it

lendmeyourear

TheresaT wrote: »

I do find most of the commercial marzipans / almond pastes are a very smooth texture and too much almond essence which I don't like. I prefer when they have a grainier texture and a more natural almond flavour.

You're right, I think marzipan and almond paste are interchangeable terms but I've come to think of marzipan as the really artificial one and almond paste as actually having some almonds in it

I am a bit too late to this thread but my christmas cakes are sought after as gifts each year because of the almond paste and lucky us in Ireland since Aldo and Lidl came and of course Dunnes is there too, they sell 200 grams for c.€1.89 - €1.99...ah I remember the old days when I had to skimp a little when using the Shamrock products for twice the price. I also use a dollop of brandy and a dollop of glycerine, same ingredients as those quoted a little earlier, a tiny amount of natural almond oil and the Kenwood machine makes short work or indeed no work of making the finest yummiest paste ever and if you like it that bit crunchier, use some granualated sugar, I would never ever put it into the fridge, it is so pliable once dusted with icing sugar, add the egg mix a little at a time and let your eye tell you when a paste has developed...usually this is when all ingredients are bound together and are stuck to the beaters and away from the bowl. I now have requests from friends just to make their almond paste. It takes about 5 minutes to make and it is soooo worth it. Leftovers can be given to the birds, they love it.

Acoshla

I personally would eat homemade almond paste with raw eggs in it but a lot of people these days are very slow to eat anything containing raw eggs, especially obviously pregnant women and elderly people. I would always let people know if their cake contained homemade almond paste/raw egg so they can decide themselves whether to eat it or not, same as I would with nuts/wheat allergies. I used all bought almond paste to cover my Christmas Cakes for selling and for gifts this year, too much risk.

lendmeyourear

Spadina wrote: »

I personally would eat homemade almond paste with raw eggs in it but a lot of people these days are very slow to eat anything containing raw eggs, especially obviously pregnant women and elderly people. I would always let people know if their cake contained homemade almond paste/raw egg so they can decide themselves whether to eat it or not, same as I would with nuts/wheat allergies. I used all bought almond paste to cover my Christmas Cakes for selling and for gifts this year, too much risk.

I do appreciate what you say regarding the raw eggs...my parents and other elderly relations always have their paste made with the raw eggs and would not have it otherwise.... What would the substitute be for eggs?

olaola

lendmeyourear wrote: »

I do appreciate what you say regarding the raw eggs...my parents and other elderly relations always have their paste made with the raw eggs and would not have it otherwise.... What would the substitute be for eggs?

Water or alcohol if you want a different flavour. It's just to bind it more or less.

MandyM

Thanks for all of the replies!

Just to clarify things, almond paste and marzipan are very different. It's become a common term to call "marzipan" "almond paste", but they are not the same.

Marzipan has far more sugar, is smoother and is more pliable, hence it's used to cover cakes or make those cute little fruits.

Almond paste is slightly course and the ratio of almonds to sugar is 50/50. Some almond pastes contain egg, some don't, as it does not need to be pliable, just an ingredient you add to cakes or fill pastries. Sometimes it's flavoured with rose water, orange or almond extract.

You can make marzipan from almond paste, but you can't substitute marzipan for almond paste in baking without having to alter the sugar content as well.

For those of you who enjoy food history etc (I spend hours researching things like this 'cause I find it interesting) here's a link to the differences and a bit about the history.

Thanks again for all the help, really appreciate it! If I don't find what I'm looking for I'll stop being lazy and make my own

TheresaT

MandyM wrote: »

Thanks for all of the replies!

Just to clarify things, almond paste and marzipan are very different. It's become a common term to call "marzipan" "almond paste", but they are not the same.

Marzipan has far more sugar, is smoother and is more pliable, hence it's used to cover cakes or make those cute little fruits.

Almond paste is slightly course and the ratio of almonds to sugar is 50/50.

ah, I thought it might be something like that but wasn't sure if that was just my own take on it.
Anyway, that "marzipan" that I mentioned in an earlier post is probably the best thing short of making your own almond paste.
And I love almond paste! I have been known to chop slices off the block and eat them

MandyM

TheresaT wrote: »

ah, I thought it might be something like that but wasn't sure if that was just my own take on it.
Anyway, that "marzipan" that I mentioned in an earlier post is probably the best thing short of making your own almond paste.
And I love almond paste! I have been known to chop slices off the block and eat them

Thanks Theresa, I'll get some at the weekend. If it's close enough to almond paste I'll give it a try

lendmeyourear

olaola wrote: »

Water or alcohol if you want a different flavour. It's just to bind it more or less.

Thank you for that suggestion, I think I will try more brandy with the glycerine....I really do want it pliable to ensure total smoothness under the sugarpaste.

kathy o brien

Do try the recipe posted it is SO easy to make honestly ,and tastes delicious,you would expend more energy and spend more money going out to the shops and looking for a good one!

Dizzyblonde

Hi Kathy, welcome to the Food & Drink forum. We don't tend to revive old threads because it clutters the forum, so as this one is 2 years old I'll have to close it.