5 Decadent Ways to Use Almond Paste (2024)

FAQs

What do you do with almond paste? ›

Almond paste is a flavorful spread made from ground blanched almonds, sugar, and egg whites. The sweet paste appears in a variety of baked goods, whether folded into pastries and almond cakes as almond cream; breakfast fare like bear claws, almond croissants, and waffles; or enjoyed on its own as marzipan candy.

Commercially produced almond paste has a long shelf life. However, to keep it from drying out, once opened it should be tightly wrapped and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

How should I store almond paste and what is the shelf life? Store covered under 70º F or cooler to avoid drying out. Shelf life varies by packaging type and ranges from 6 to 18 months.

Marzipan has a more solid form and is used on cakes and to create shapes. You can eat marzipan by itself, the same is not true for almond paste.

Rather than being a treat on its own, it's often incorporated into recipes as an ingredient: creamed into cake batters and cookie doughs to add almond flavor, sweetness, moisture, and chew; rolled out and tucked into brownies, pies, tarts, and galettes; cut into cubes and folded into scones, muffins, and quick breads ...

Store almond paste, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 month in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Almond paste should be firm, but pliable. If it becomes hard, soften by heating 2-3 seconds in a microwave.

Occasionally I end up with a sugar or almond paste "rock." In lieu of tossing it, I have softened it by adding a piece of bread for a day or two, in an airtight container. The moisture in the bread returns the original texture of the item.

Lots of Italian cookies call for almond paste to get that chewy, super-nutty flavor. If you've ever eaten a slivered almond-topped pasticcini or pignoli, you've eaten a cookie made with almond paste. Many cookies that call for almond paste don't call for flour, making them gluten-free.

Almond paste has twice the amount of almonds in it compared to marzipan, making it coarser in texture and less sweet than its counterpart. Their consistency also differs as marzipan is smooth and pliable, almost clay-like, while almond paste is somewhat gritty and spreadable, almost like a cookie dough.

How do you store almond paste after opening? ›

Almond paste is often used when making frangipane (see below), a type of almond filling used in many tart recipes. Once it's opened, you can keep it well wrapped in the refrigerator.

It can be confusing that recipes sometimes use the terms "almond paste" and "marzipan" interchangeably, as they're actually quite different. Almond paste has a coarser texture but is much softer than marzipan, which allows it to be spread as a filling.

Packaged almond paste tends to be expensive. Like, upwards of $2/ounce expensive. Good almonds aren't cheap, but buying them (or almond flour) and making your own is still hella cheaper since you'll make more of it.

This bitter taste comes from amygdalin, a chemical compound within the nut that defends the nut from being eaten in the wild.

The almond paste and almond filling are very different products and should not be used interchangeably in a recipe. The Almond Filling is a jam-like filling for cakes, pastries, and cookies. The Almond Paste is usually mixed or cut into a recipe for an almond flavor, or as a layer in tarts and pies.

Almond paste has twice the amount of almonds in it compared to marzipan, making it coarser in texture and less sweet than its counterpart. Their consistency also differs as marzipan is smooth and pliable, almost clay-like, while almond paste is somewhat gritty and spreadable, almost like a cookie dough.

What is the difference between almond butter and almond paste? ANSWER:Almond butter is a spread made from finely ground almonds, offering a smooth and creamy texture. In contrast, almond paste has a coarser texture and is akin to almond candy dough, similar to marzipan but with less sweetness.

Almond Paste is a nutty paste that is made with blanched almonds, confectioners' sugar, an egg white, almond extract, and salt.