Marzipan: A Royal Delight Through the Ages

Marzipan, the velvety almond-sugar paste, was more than just a treat. It was believed to have healing powers because it is made with a high proportion of the healthy and medicinal almond. Almonds also had symbolic value: the tree is the first to flower in the Mideast and Mediterranean and likely one reason why marzipan is a favorite in Easter!

How marzipan, the candy, evolved is unclear. One story has it that when Crusaders returned from Asia to Europe, they brought spices, herbs, and knowledge of how to create confections which they passed on to their peers. By the 13th century, Venice, Naples, and Sicily were bustling trade centers where sugar and almonds were sold in small decorative boxes called Mataban. Over time, the name of the box evolved into Mazapane (Italian), Massepain (French), and Marzipan (German).

Over time, marzipan has been held in great esteem. In the 13th century, clerics questioned whether indulging in marzipan violated religious fasting. The philosopher Thomas Aquinas said “no.” He believed liquid or easily digestible foods did not count as breaking a fast, and the almond-rich marzipan was one of them.

The famed Italian writer Boccaccio wove marzipan into his tales in the 14th century, linking it to love, indulgence, and temptation. Confectioners, meanwhile, adorned marzipan with delicate gold leaf, moving it into the highest rungs of culinary excellence.

Naturally, marzipan became the delicacy of kings and queens. Queen Elizabeth I of England (1533–1603), for example, famously adored marzipan. At the extravagant feasts of Louis XIV, the Sun King of France, tables overflowed with marzipan. For decades, confectioners sculpted marzipan into sumptuous fruits, birds, and even roasted game.

Today, truly delicious marzipan is said to have a high almond content, some say up to 50%.