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Marzipan Leftovers & Not Very Cornish Pasties

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Duck Confit & Butternut Squash Pasties
Glass of Secret Red
Marzipan scraps

The church in our village has only one bell so every Sunday it rings a very fast toll – a “bring out your dead and make it snappy” kind of noise!  It woke us this morning which was useful; lots to do.  In fact I’ve had lots to do for a while so haven’t blogged much but don’t worry I have been eating.

~   Yesterday I made roasted butternut squash and chorizo but cooked too much squash. 
~   Two days ago I made a chicken and leek pie and had some leftover puff pastry scraps – see here on how to store leftover puff pastry and other delicious ideas for pastry scraps.
~   Last week I confitted myself some duck legs and ate all but the last one, I don’t know about you but I never eat the last one first!

So this is what I came up with next ….
pasties made from duck and squash leftovers


Two duck and butternut squash turnovers plus a rough pasty like thing, the shapes were dictated by the pastry scraps.  Fabulous lunch even if I say so myself.

Having marzipanned my cake (spell check is of the opinion that “marzipanned” isn’t a word but surely it is!) I ate a few of the scraps and trimmings. I also made ...

Chewy Marzipan Cookies


This recipe is not for leftovers but I thought I’d mention it just in case, like me, you find a pack of marzipan you hadn’t realised you had bought! Caster sugar works well too. 


2 egg whites 
70g-90g icings sugar - sifted 
pinch salt 
500g marzipan – finely chopped or grated 
a little more icing sugar 

~ Preheat oven to 160ºC/325°F/140ºC fan/gas 3
~ Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof or baking parchment and grease lightly.
~ Whisk the egg whites till pretty damn frothy but not so that you have a meringue situation.
~ Slowly whisk in the sugar, salt and marzipan speed up and whisk to a soft sticky dough which is as smooth as poss. You may need to add more sugar or, if too firm, perhaps a splash of rum; the texture of bought in marzipans seems to vary quite a lot.
~ Scoop into small balls, roll in icing sugar to coat and place well spaced (1½” or so apart) on the baking trays, they will spread during cooking.
~ Bake for 20-25 minutes till golden round the edge and cracking on the top.




marzipan cookie ice cream sandwich
Here, however, are some ideas for genuine marzipan scraps, trimmings and leftovers.

~ Eat them.
~ Roll into little balls and then in cinnamon sugar or cocoa and sugar and then eat them.
~ Roll into little balls, dip in melted chocolate and set aside to harden.
~ Bake or toast for a few minutes till crisp, crumble and sprinkle over ice cream, trifle, etc.
~ Add coarsely chopped marzipan to cakes, cookies, pancakes, muffins etc.
~ Sprinkle a layer of chopped marzipan over a pastry base then top with fruit (peaches or cherries are great, apples or pears are good too) and bake for a delicious frangipane tart thingy.
~ Make marzipan fruits, animals, stars or whatever to decorate cakes and desserts.


2 unrelated points …

1.      About a week ago I saw daffodils fully in flower beside the road.  Poor things.
2.      I also spotted a lovely typo the other day:



2 comments:

Jenny Eatwell said...

OMG, those "pastry scrap turnover-pasty-like things" sound completely divine! From such are wonderful things made. :)

As for "marzipanned" being a word, it's as much of a word in my opinion, as "chocolatey" is. :: nods :: Definitely.

Oh, and - for the good of my health, you understand - I stopped reading at the mention of "Marzipan Cookies". Now I must run, run like the wind, before I succumb to having just a peek. LOL

Whitney-Anne Baker said...

I never find a pack of marzipan I didn't know I had. I don't buy it because I would retreat to a quiet corner and eat the entire block in one sitting. Marzipan cookies sound great. Might have to break my own rule and buy some marzipan 'specially. Loved the typo!!