Frutta Martorana
Realistic miniature marzipan fruits made from sweet almond paste, sculpted by hand and delicately painted with vibrant colours.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 165 kcal
Equipment
- •Fine food-grade paintbrushes
- •Plaster or silicone fruit moulds
- •Small saucepan
- •Sieve
- •Baking parchment
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 165 kcal
- fat
- 6 g
- carbs
- 25 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 3 g
- calories
- 165 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Sift the almond flour and icing sugar together into a wide mixing bowl.
- 2
Warm the water and liquid glucose in a small saucepan until the glucose melts fully.
- 3
Stir the bitter almond extract into the warm liquid, then pour into the almond bowl.
- 4
Knead the mixture firmly on a clean worktop until smooth, uniform, and pliable.
- 5
Dust your fruit moulds lightly with cornstarch to stop the almond paste from sticking.
- 6
Press small pieces of paste firmly into the moulds, then unmould gently onto parchment paper.
- 7
Shape individual fruits by hand using modelling tools if moulds are unavailable.
- 8
Insert whole cloves into the ends of fruits to mimic natural stalks and calyxes.
- 9
Allow the shaped marzipan to air-dry at room temperature for at least 24 hours.
- 10
Dilute powdered or gel food colourings with clear alcohol in small saucers.
- 11
Paint delicate gradients, blushes, and natural blemishes onto the dry marzipan with fine brushes.
- 12
Brush lightly with edible glaze once the paint dries to give a dewy sheen.
Chef's tips
Drying the marzipan for a full day before painting creates a firm crust that prevents colours from bleeding. Use alcohol rather than water to dilute the food colours, as it evaporates quickly without making the sugar paste sticky.
Ingredient substitutions
- liquid glucose → mild acacia honey or light corn syrup
- clear spirit → pure lemon extract, though it adds a subtle citrus aroma
Storage
Store in an airtight tin lined with greaseproof paper in a cool, dry cupboard for up to one month.
Reheating
Serve at room temperature; do not heat or refrigerate.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Painting the paste while it is still soft and moist, which makes the colours smudge
- •Using water to dilute food colourings, which dissolves the surface sugar
Serving suggestions
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