Marzipan

A smooth, sweet paste of finely ground almonds and sugar, molded into shapes, rolled over cakes or used as a filling.

Marzipan: A block of smooth marzipan and small marzipan fruits shaped and colored like tiny apples, pears and strawberries
  • Chocolate, sugar and confectionery
  • France, Germany, Spain

Also called: badem ezmesi

Marzipan contains more sugar and less almond than almond paste, which makes it smoother, firmer and easier to shape. It is made by grinding blanched almonds with sugar or by cooking sugar syrup and mixing it with ground almonds. A little rose water, almond extract or egg white may be added.

It is shaped into small fruits and animals, rolled into sheets to cover cakes, tucked into stollen or dipped in chocolate. The German city of Lübeck and the Spanish city of Toledo are both famous for marzipan.

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Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. 2.3: Cake Terms - Icing, Decorating, and Accessories, LibreTexts, Introduction to Baking and Pastries (Rink and Thibodeaux, open textbook)
  2. The Essential Glossary of Cooking Terms for the Culinary Arts, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts