Marzipan
This article is about the food. For the Homestar Runner character, see Marzipan (Homestar Runner)
Marzipan is a confectionery consisting primarily of ground almonds and sugar that derives its characteristic flavor from bitter almonds, which constitute 4% to 6% of total almond content by weight. Some marzipan is also flavored with rosewater.
Although it is believed to have originated in Persia (present-day Iran) and to have been introduced to Europe through the Turks, there is some dispute between Hungary and Italy over its originator. Marzipan became a specialty of the Baltic Sea region of Germany. In particular, the city of Lübeck has a proud tradition of marzipan manufacture. The city's manufacturers like Niederegger still guarantee their Marzipan to contain two thirds almonds by weight, which results in a juicy, bright yellow product.
Under EU law, marzipan must have a minimum almond oil content of 14% and a maximum moisture content of 8.5%. Optional additional ingredients are rosewater, honey, pistachios and preservatives. In the U.S., marzipan must include at least a quarter almonds by weight, otherwise it is considered to be almond paste. However, in Sweden and Finland "almond paste" refers to a marzipan that contains 50% ground almonds, i.e. a much higher quality than regular marzipan.
It is often made into sweets: two common uses are marzipan-filled chocolate and small marzipan imitations of fruits and vegetables. It is also rolled into thin sheets and glazed for icing cakes and is traditionally used in wedding cakes, Christmas cakes, and stollen. In some countries marzipan is shaped into small figures of animals, such as pigs, as a traditional treat for New Year's Day.
Marzipan is also used in Tortell, and in some versions of king cake eaten during the Carnival season.
In Italy, particularly in Palermo, marzipan (marzapane) is often shaped and painted with food colorings to resemble fruit — Frutta martorana — especially during the Christmas season.
In Portugal, traditional marzipan (maçapão) fruit shaped sweets made in the Algarve region are called morgadinhos.
Etymology
The German name has largely ousted the original English name marchpane with the same apparent derivation: "March bread." Marzapane is documented earlier in Italian than in any other language, and the sense "bread" for pan is Romance. However, the ultimate etymology is unclear; for example, the Italian word derives from a Middle Latin word meaning "crack" and originally having the meaning of a coin on which a figure of a seated Christ was imprinted. Among the other possible etymologies set forth in the Oxford English Dictionary, one theory posits that the word "marzipan" may however be a corruption of Martaban, a Burmese city famous for its jars.
Business definition
- In business, the "marzipan layer" refers to the group of managers just below the highest level of directors or partners. This phrase refers to the fact that in some cakes, a layer of marzipan lies just below the icing.