Elizabethan Marchpane/Marzipane (A.D. 1587)

This recipe closely follows the directions found in “A book of cookrye Very necessary for all such as delight therin,” published by A.W. in 1587, and Robert May’s instructions from the early 17th century.

I. The Ingredients (For the Marchpane Paste)

Ingredient	Original Quantity (Approximate)	Modern Equivalent	Notes on Authenticity
Blanched Almonds	2 pounds (2 lb)	450g (1 lb)	Finely ground blanched almonds (almond flour/meal).
Sugar (very finely beaten/sifted)	1 pound (1 lb)	225g (8 oz)	Authentic recipes called for fine sugar (powdered sugar/icing sugar), as granulated sugar was too coarse.
Rose-Water	“a spoonfull now and then”	3-5 tablespoons	Use food-grade rosewater. Used to bind the paste and stop it from “oyling” (separating).

II. For the Icing & Decoration (The Garnish)

Ingredient	Modern Equivalent	Notes on Authenticity
Sifted Sugar (for the icing)	50g Icing/Powdered Sugar	Mixed with rosewater to create a thin glaze.
Rose-Water (for the icing)	A few teaspoons	Enough to make a spreadable “white and thick” icing.
Wafers (Optional base)	Communion Wafers or Thin Rice Paper	The marchpane was often baked upon wafers, though this is sometimes omitted in modern redactions.
Comfits	Sugar-coated seeds (caraway, fennel) or tiny silver/gold balls	These were the traditional, expensive sprinkles of the era.
Leaf Gold	Edible Gold Leaf	Applied after baking and icing for the ultimate royal finish.

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III. The Method

1. Making the Marchpane Paste

1. Preparation: Sieve the finely ground Almonds and Sifted Sugar together into a large bowl. Elizabethan cooks would have done this in a stone mortar. This is an intensive process important – to preventing an oily paste.
2. Mixing: Add the Rose-Water, one teaspoon at a time, and begin to work the mixture together. Knead it thoroughly with your hands until it forms a stiff, smooth paste that is not sticky. Do not over-work it, or the almond oil will separate. If it feels too dry, addd a few more drops of rosewater; if too wet, add a little more sifted sugar.
3. Shaping: Dust a clean surface with sifted sugar. Roll out the marchpane dough to a thickness of about 1cm (about half an inch) into a round disc, the size of a dinner plate (“as big as a charger”).
4. The Edge: Use your fingers to pinch a decorative, raised edge (“set an edge about it as you do upon a quodling tart”) around the entire perimeter of the disc.
5. Placement: Place the disc onto a baking sheet. If you have them, lay Wafers (rice paper) on the tray first and place the marchpane on top.

2. The Baking & Gilding

1. Baking (The Original Way): In the 16th century, this was often baked using a metal basin inverted over the marchpane, with hot coals placed on top of the basin to heat it from above.
2. Baking (Modern Adaptation): Preheat your oven to a very low temperature, about 120°C (250°F). Bake the marchpane for 20-30 minutes. You are not trying to cook it through, but rather to dry it out until it is “white, hard, and dry,” with perhaps only a slight blush of colour around the edge.
3. Cooling: Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

3. Icing & Decoration

1. The Icing (The Glaze): Mix the extra Sifted Sugar with just enough Rose-Water to create a thin, flowing glaze (like a thick batter).
2. Applying the Icing: Traditional recipes recommend applying this glaze with a wing feather. Apply a thin layer to the cool marchpane disc.
3. The Second Baking: Return the glazed marchpane to the oven for about 5-10 minutes to set the glaze until it is “dry and glossy” and looks “like Ice.”
4. Gilding: Once cool, the marchpane would be decorated. Use a small, clean brush (or a “Conies tailes end,” as one recipe suggests) moistened with rosewater to pick up and apply the Leaf Gold in patterns (e.g., hearts, names, or your coat of arms).
5. Comfits: Scatter your Comfits (sugar-coated seeds or tiny balls) over the surface while the glaze is still slightly tacky, or fix them with a drop of fresh icing.

The Marchpane was traditionally a large, flat, decorative centrepiece (subtlety) for a final banquet course.