Boiling the jam lets water evaporate, thus thickening or “hardening” the jam (once it solidifies again). This can be advisable if you have a rather thin or soft (“watery”) jam in the beginning. Especially under marzipan you want no excess liquid in the jam to avoid softening the marzipan layer or cause it to slip.
How do you boil marzipan apricot jam?
Take your apricot jam and spoon at least two tablespoons into a pan. Depending on the size of your cake you may need more or less. Add some water to the jam to thin it out a little and then bring it slowly to the boil. Pass the jam through a sieve and then set it to one side to cool.
Why do you use apricot jam for marzipan?
If you are covering a fruitcake with marzipan, use boiled, sieved apricot jam to stick it to the cake not buttercream. This is because apricot has a mild taste so will not affect the flavour of the cake.
Do you heat jam before putting on a cake?
Warm the jam for a few seconds in the microwave until it is runny enough to spread evenly, but not too thickly, over the top and sides of the cake.
How long should you leave marzipan before icing?
Marzipan should ideally dry out before you apply icing. This can take anything from one to five days, with homemade marzipan usually taking longer than ready-made. It’s ready when it feels dry (it will feel quite oily at first).
How long before Christmas should you marzipan a cake?
Leave the Christmas cake covered in marzipan in a cool, dry place. Allow it to dry for at least 24 hours before covering with fondant icing, and at least two days before covering with royal icing. Home-made marzipan takes a little longer to dry out than shop-bought marzipan.
What is the most important when working with marzipan?
KEEP THE AIR OUT
Marzipan will start to harden when it is exposed to the air, so keep any unused marzipan tightly wrapped in plastic food bags. It does not need to be kept in the fridge, but do note the Best Before date if you remove it from the original packaging.
How do I stop my marzipan from sweating?
Sweating. This can happen when your fondant-covered cake is stored in the fridge. Try storing your finished cake in cardboard boxes big enough to totally encase the cake on all sides and the top. If the cake has visible sweat marks, you can apply a little icing sugar on the damp spots with a clean paintbrush.
How do you get marzipan to stick to a cake?
–Brush the top of the cake with the sieved jam and then leave a few minutes for it to set. (This helps the marzipan stick to the cake.) Turn the cake upside down onto the marzipan and wiggle it gently so the top is stuck firmly.
What happens when you heat jam?
Stiff jams or jellies can also be warmed for use as pancake or ice cream syrups. Stiff jams or jellies can be thinned with water or fruit juice. They may or may not form a gel again once they are re-heated, as over-cooking of pectin can reduce or destroy its ability to form the gel structure.
Why is my marzipan wet?
If the liquid wasn’t completely absorbed during baking, the surface of the cake would remain over moist. This moisture will begin to dissolve any covering ie marzipan and sugarpaste. This seems the most likely reason but it’s also possible the fruit itself was beginning to break down and ooze sugars.
How do you boil jam?
Bring the fruit mixture to a rapid, rolling boil (when the bubbles cannot be calmed down by stirring with a spoon). Cook for 3-5 minutes until the jam reaches setting point. As your jam approaches setting point, it will thicken and start to boil more slowly, with thicker, heavier bubbles.
Can you marzipan and ice a Christmas cake on the same day?
Covering a cake with marzipan
Once you have marzipanned the cake, you need to allow time for it to dry, for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days, before covering with icing.
How do you stick marzipan to a cake without jam?
Give the marzipan a brush over with some boiled water to give the icing a ‘key’ to stick to, then just flop the icing over the cake, again smoothing it down as before.
Can you overfeed a Christmas cake?
It’s possible to overfeed your cake, which will make it stodgy and wet. Our advice is to feed it once after it’s initially baked, then no more than four times during the maturation period. Try a teaspoonful of whichever alcohol you’ve chosen before you begin feeding your cake to test its strength.
How much marzipan do I need for an 8 inch cake?
how much will you need?
| diameter | sugarpaste | marzipan |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 500g | 650g |
| 7″ | 750g | 900g |
| 8″ | 900g | 1.1kg |
| 9″ | 1kg | 1.25kg |
Can you leave Christmas cake uncovered?
Once you’ve baked and cooled your Christmas cake, you’ll need to store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. It’s best to wrap your cake in parchment or greaseproof paper and then in foil twice. After wrapping, pop the cake in an airtight container.
How often should you feed your Christmas cake?
Method
- It is best to feed your cake, every fortnight from when it has been baked.
- Using a skewer, prick several holes into the top of your cake.
- Spoon over 1-2 tbsp of the alcohol/fruit juice of your choice ensuring that the whole cake is evenly covered.
How much marzipan do I need for a 20cm cake?
Marzipanning a Fruit cake for Royal icing
| Round Cake | 15cm (6 in) | 20cm (8 in) |
|---|---|---|
| Square Cake | 18cm (7 in) | |
| Marzipan | 500g (1lb 2oz) | 800g (1lb 12oz) |
How much royal icing do I need to cover a 10 inch cake?
Covering a cake:
20cm (8in) / 18cm (7in) – 800g (1lb 7oz) 23cm (9in) / 25cm (10in) – 1kg (2lb 2oz)
Should I refrigerate marzipan?
As long as it is kept cool or refrigerated, marzipan has a long life, months at least. At warm or room temperature the almond content will slowly oxidise and develop off flavours.