Marzipan, a sweet paste of almond meal and sugar, is laced with spices, brandy, and lemon juice for these simple treats from Justin Gellatly of London’s Bread Ahead.
Simnel Marzipan Bonbons
Marzipan, a sweet almond paste, is laced with spices, brandy, and lemon juice.
Yield: makes 38
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond meal
- 3⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1⁄2 cup superfine sugar
- 1 1⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground cloves
- 1 tsp. brandy
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1⁄4 tsp. almond extract
- 1⁄4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 egg plus 1 yolk
- Blowtorch, for caramelizing
Instructions
- Whisk almond meal, sugars, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl until combined; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk brandy, lemon juice, honey, extracts, egg, and yolk until smooth. Stir wet ingredients into dry; using your hands, knead mixture until smooth. Divide mixture into thirty-eight 1⁄2-oz. balls and place on a baking sheet. Using a blowtorch, torch tops of bonbons until lightly caramelized, 30 seconds to 1 minute. They can be rolled and chilled for up to 2 days before being caramelized.