-
1
Blanch the almonds in boiling water, peel them, and set aside still moist. Do not allow them to dry fully. Grind the almonds while they retain this moisture — the paste should be slightly coarse, not a smooth flour. If the grind becomes too fine and the texture too even, the characteristic grain of Toledo marzipan is lost.
-
2
Dissolve the sugar in water over moderate heat, stirring until clear, then raise the heat without stirring. Cook the syrup to thread stage — not ball stage. To test: lift a spoon from the syrup and allow it to fall; it should pull into thin, fine threads rather than forming a soft ball. This is where the dish lives or dies: syrup taken beyond thread stage will make the finished paste brittle and unworkable; syrup too short of it will leave the paste slack and sticky.
-
3
Pour the hot syrup over the ground almonds and work the mixture together — by hand on a marble surface, or in a heavy bowl — until it forms a pliable, cohesive paste that does not stick to the hands or surface. Stop the moment it comes together cleanly; continued working will cause the almond oils to express, turning the paste greasy.
-
4
Cover the paste and leave it to rest for 24 hours at room temperature. The paste will firm and become noticeably easier to shape. After resting, it should hold a clean impression when pressed with a finger and spring back only slightly.
-
5
Shape the rested paste into figurines, fruits, or flat rounds. Place on a lined baking tray and toast in an oven at 180 °C for 8–10 minutes. The surface should colour to a light, even gold — not deep brown. Remove from the oven the moment the edges take on that pale gilt; the interior will remain soft and slightly yielding.