I need help for marzipan!!

[farfallina]

Hi everyone

It's my husband birthday this Saturday and I would like to make a surprise to him by making a birthday cake with marzipan
I've always envied those wonderful looking cakes but never had the courage to make one on my own
This time I really want to try
I guess I will be using the recipe that I found at UK Thermomix: http://www.ukthermomix.com/recshow.php?rec_id=69
Has any of you ever done it?
Do I have to make it on the same day or is it OK if I make it the day before?
Your help will be much appreciated!
Thanks in advance 

[andiesenji]

I have made the marzipan using this recipe several times.  However I have made some modifications as I go.

The main difference is that I process it longer than called for - usually up to 2 minutes and after the processing as indicated in the recipe, I remove it from the TMX and knead it by hand on my marble slab until it has the "feel" that I want.  This takes some experience but it doesn't take long for you to develop this sense. 
It should have only a slight grainy texture and feel silky when you mash it between your fingers.  If it is too dry and doesn't hold together when rolled, spread it out into a slab, sprinkle it with rose water then fold it and knead it by hand. 
I keep rose water in a small spray bottle (or spritzer) as I can distribute it more evenly onto such things, marzipan, pastry, etc., that way.

I also pasteurize the egg yolks before I add them to the mixture. 

Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and inside a ziplock bag in the fridge, it will keep for months!

[AmandaN]

My husband made that marzipan recipe to make a stollen with.  The grainy texture was good for that style of cake, where is was just a log in the middle.  I can see that for other uses it would have been a bit stiff to work with.  It made quite a lot of marzipan, and I had some in the fridge for a few weeks , which I used to make some quick almond danishes (used puff pastry, slices of marzipan and cinnamon sugar).

[farfallina]

Thanks to you both for your replies 

I guess I will make it
Since it can last much more than 1 day I might do it even tomorrow or the day after
I would like to cover my cake with marzipan and then make a 3D roller coaster model on the top
I have no idea how yet. It is very challenging for a rookie like me 
When I make marzipan I will try roughly if I am able to do such a modeling
Otherwise I make like a birthday present model which I believe, would be easier

[cookie1]

It all sounds very exciting.  Don't forget to post a photo for us.

[Thermomixer]

Thanks for all that.  Still haven't tried marzipan.

[farfallina]

I made it !!! 

[andiesenji]

Awesome!

[farfallina]

I know that it is not quite perfect but it was my first time 
Nevertheless it made quite impression on my husband 
Next time hopefully i get better

Thank you all for your help
Your comments and feedback were really helped me a lot 

[judydawn]

Well done farfallina, is your DH a roller coaster freak?  I went on the kids' one at Dreamworld and that was scary enough for me and enough to vow I'd never do it again 

[faffa_70]

Well done Farfallina, marziapn is something I have never been brave enough to try. I stick to butter cream, but of course you can't be as creative as you have been!!

[andiesenji]

Marzipan is really very easy to prepare and use in any number of projects.  It is a very forgiving compound and keeps beautifully. 

Don't be afraid to try it and it doesn't have to be for coating a cake. 

I'm allergic to chocolate but I make a lot of marzipan to form in balls and dip in bittersweet chocolate because it is a favorite of several of my friends. 

I make a chocolate/cherry layer cake with a layer of marzipan in the middle so the flavor and not the appearance is most important.

I also make a very fancy bread pudding  which is actually little brioche rolls that are filled with marzipan, baked and cooled and then drowned in egg custard which is then baked until set.
My great-grandmother mentioned this particular dessert in one of her journals written while she was traveling in Europe in the 1870s.  She described it but did not include a recipe.   I spent a lot of time searching through cookbooks from that era, English, French and others of European origin but found nothing like it. 

[Cornish Cream]

Wonderful picture farfallina.There are some clever cake decorators here on this forum.I loved the ladybird potatoes the you put with your chicken dish as well.

[farfallina]

JD my husband wanted to go an entertainment park for his birthday so we were away for weekend. I love rollercoasters as well. First time is very scary but after that you get used to it

Faffa I couldn't have enough courage for quite some time but just like andiesenji said it is a very forgiving compound. Even if you don't know how it is supposed to be, soon enough you understand. You can add icing sugar or orange flower water depending on what you need. I tried to shape it and rolled out a little to see what i needed. It was crumbling so i added some orange flower water.
If you want to cover your cake with it... I rolled ut out on a baking paper and then transferred over the cake. It was easier to work with
I'd recommend to color it the day before and then keep it in the fridge

Thanks CC. About ladybirds.. They are very easy to make but they are not potatoes;) I cut sandwich rolls in half. I spread some Philadelphia. I cut cherry tomatoes in half. Then cut again in half for the wings but not completely as you can see from the picture. With toothpick I put very very little honey (like dots) and I stuck nigella seeds. That's all

[cookie1]

Well done on your cake farfallina. It looks as though it took a lot of work. What sort of cake did you have under it?