Colorful marzipan fruits

 
                          COLORFUL MARZIPAN FRUITS
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 24   Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Candies
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
                         -----BASIC MARZIPAN-----
   16       oz           Almond paste
    2                    Egg whites
      1/2   ts           Extract, almond
    4       c            Sugar, powdered
                         -----CANDY MAKING-----
                         Cloves, whole
                         Egg whites
                         Food coloring, paste
                         Kirsch -- or vodka
      1/2   c            Water
      1/4   c            Syrup, corn, light
                         Sugar, red
 
   TO AVOID HARMFUL BACTERIA, BE SURE EGGS ARE NOT
   CRACKED BEFORE USE. There are 4 steps to making
   colorful marzipan fruits: making basic marzipan,
   shaping fruits, coloring fruits; glazing fruits. MAKE
   THE BASIC MARZIPAN. Break up almond paste in large
   bowl. Add egg whites and almond extract and mix
   thoroughly.  Add sugar 1 cup at a time, kneading well
   after each addition; add enough sugar to make a solid,
   heavy dough. (The mixture is quite sticky and hard to
   handle at first, but as you add sugar, it dries and
   becomes workable.)  At this point you may store the
   dough for up to 7 days by wrapping in plastic and
   storing in plastic bag in fridge. Bring to room temp
   and knead again before using. SHAPE MARZIPAN FRUITS:
   break off 1" balls of marzipan and shape to look like
   lemons, oranges, apples, pears, and strawberries. too
   much while you are shaping balls, chill briefly in
   fridge. Shaping tips: Lemons and oranges: roll on fine
   grated to create pebbly texture; insert cloves,
   star-shaped ends up, for stem ends. Apples: indent
   tops, insert cloves pointed ends up to represent
   stems. Pears: insert cloves pointed ends up for stems.
   Strawberries: shape little flat marzipan stars to make
   caps; attach caps with cloves and a dab of egg white.
   COLOR FRUITS: Use small, soft paintbrush and paste
   food coloring diluted with a little kirsch.  Mix
   colors (a gem muffin pan makes a good palette) and
   paint each fruit completely. Don't forget to pain the
   strawberry caps green.  Place painted fruits on wire
   rack to dry overnight; turn occasionally so they dry
   evenly. GLAZE FRUITS: in small saucepan, sitr together
   water and corn syrup to make glaze. Bring to boil,
   remove from heal, and allow to cool until just warm.
   Brush warm glaze on red part of each strawberry;
   sprinkle with red sugar and place on wire rack to dry
   overnight.  Brush warm glaze on each fruit and let dry
   overnight on wire rack.  When glaze is dry on
   strawberries, paint glaze on strawberry caps and let
   dry overnight. Put marzipan fruits in paper candy cups
   and store in airtight container. Brightly colored
   marzipan fruits are so festive and pretty, somehow
   they suit the holiday perfectly.
  
 
 
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