How To Store Marzipan (& How Long It Will Stay Fresh)
Anyone with a sweet tooth has likely come across marzipan at some point or another. Made with ground (blanched) almonds and sugar, this nutty and candy-esque almond paste can also include ingredients like a drizzle of honey or a few egg yolks to help make the dough a touch more pliable. Given marzipan's unique list of ingredients, you might wonder just how long that log of sugary goodness might last, and that's a totally valid question that we're here to help you answer.
Let's make one thing clear — marzipan is not synonymous with almond paste. In all actuality, the two have starkly different tastes and textures. For example, where marzipan is saccharine and smooth, almond paste is instead nuttier and thicker thanks to having more almonds in its recipe. As for how frangipane compares, this almond-rich delight has a similar flavor, but with a more custard-like consistency. Additionally, while both paste and 'pane make suitable pie filling, marzipan has other uses. Much like fondant, it can be used to cover cakes, along with being mixed into doughs, used as filling for baked goods, or simply molded into decorative shapes.
Regardless of how you work marzipan into a sweet treat, there are a few things you should always remember when it comes to proper storage so that you can guarantee the longest possible shelf life.
To keep marzipan fresh, do this
More often than not, it's quite easy to find blocks of marzipan in the bakery section of your local supermarket or specialty baking store. However, when the almond dough is too tricky to track down, you can also make it at home. Regardless of whether it's store-bought or homemade, marzipan should always be well-wrapped in plastic. Doing this will help lock in moisture and prevent the dough from drying up and hardening. For extra security, it can even be kept in an airtight container.
As for where to keep the covered marzipan, you have three choices — the pantry, the fridge, or the freezer. Despite the fact that marzipan does consist of several shelf-stable ingredients like sugar, the pantry works so long as temperatures don't fluctuate too much as warmer temperatures can lead to oxidation and unpleasant flavors. On the other hand, while the freezer can be a wise choice for storing marzipan long-term, it can take a toll on texture. It's for these reasons that Foods Guy recommends storing wrapped marzipan somewhere cool and dry such as the back of your refrigerator. This will keep the dough fresh and soft for quite some time — but, just how long exactly?
The incredible shelf life of marzipan
In general, marzipan has a pretty long shelf life — think weeks, months, or sometimes even years. Naturally, there are a few factors to consider such as whether the marzipan has been commercially produced or made from scratch, and whether or not it's been opened.
Like most mass-produced goods, store-bought marzipan will typically last longer as it likely contains preservatives to increase its stability as it sits on grocery store shelves. However, given that marzipan is loaded with sugar and has such a low moisture content, this renders even homemade marzipan shelf stable. That said, although it technically won't go bad unless it's exposed to moisture, that doesn't mean that it won't start to dry out with the passage of time. To make the most out of marzipan, Foods Guy shares that the almond dough can be kept for up to one month at room temperature, six months in the fridge, or three years in the freezer.
Moreover, it should go without saying, but unopened (store-bought) marzipan will last the longest. Stored even in the pantry, it can keep for years until you're ready to use it — but, let's face it, who can resist marvelous marzipan for that long, anyway?