Marzipan/fondant - What's The Diff?
Decorating By charleydog Updated 29 Oct 2005 , 4:47pm by charleydog
Can anyone tell me what exactly the difference between marzipan and fondant. I have seen people use both for objects on cakes, so is there a method or rule for what either is used for and when? Does this makes sense?? LOL
Thanks for the help
Hello,
I don't know a whole lot about marzipan but it is almond paste based so you have to be careful with allergies. You can use it basically the same as fondant. I have seen cakes covered in it and seen it used for decorations. I have never seen flowers made out of it but I'm sure you could. In my opinion, it is a lot richer and sweeter than fondant and a little goes along way so I would never cover a cake in it (plus I'd be worried about allergies) but it's great for decorations. It has more of the consistency of gumpaste in that it doesn't get to soft to work with and it gets very hard if you let it dry.
Fondant on the other hand is great for covering cakes. It works for decorations and flowers too but it helps to add gum-tex to it to stiffen it up (or use gumpaste instead). I use Satin Ice and it has a nice vanilla flavor to it and you can flavor it yourself.
HTH,
Heather
Hope this helps!
Fondant: http://www.crafterstouch.com/tip.aspx?tipid=13
Marizpan: http://www.crafterstouch.com/tip.aspx?tipid=30
from the looks of things, It's really a matter of your choice..
Thanks for the replies guys!! Thanks for the links, and I can not take credit for the avator...flavorfordun ( i think I spelled that wrong, sorry) found me.. I love it too!!!
Ok I think I will stick to fondant for most things, but maybe will just have fun one day with marzipan..
Thanks guys!!!
Also, marzipan is traditionally used with fruit cakes. Once this is placed on the cake royal icing is then applied.
So it is used as a base then? What about doing say... little figures or something out of it...marzipan or fondant?
YES! You can use them interchangeably, but all the above comments are true. Marzipan is expensive, made from nuts, and traditionally used to cover fruitcakes to provide a smooth base for royal icing. It can also be used under fondant.
It's a quite yellow compared to fondant so making white things doesn't work, but is not an issue if you're going to colour it. You can make up marzipan decorations weeks in advance.. they dry on the outside to a nice dry finish, and the inside remains soft. In Europe, marzipan shaped into fruits or vegetables are very popular candies!
Personally, I find the flavour too much so I sometimes mix marzipan 1/2 and 1/2 with my fondant to make figures or things for the top of a cake. I've found most people won't eat much fondant, but the marzipan or the mix are much tastier.
I LOVE MARZIPAN. That's it, you really have to like the rich almond flavor, because that's pretty much what it is. Finely ground almonds, a paste, and pwd sugar pretty much. It's mainly used for decorations like sculpted friut. I have a cassata in my photos that is a covered around the edges with marzipan tinted green. It's a family tradition for us, my uncle (82) who just closed the bakery used to make these every Easter (we eat them at Christmas to) the top was always decorated with dried candied fruits but I didn't do them. His were STUNNING and delicious! This was my first attempt so it's trial and error for me. But to me Marzipan is THE BOMB! (I think I just dated myself)
Thanks for all the information!! I appreciate it, muchly...
Beautiful cakes too vitade...
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