It’s Primetime for Baking!
We’re starting to sound like a broken record, but the weather is slowly (but surely) getting colder, which means it’s the best time of year to bake! Not only does a bit of cake warm your belly and your soul, but it can be a much-needed form of relaxation and fun when the days start to get a bit darker. I don’t know about you, but I’m already starting to feel the effect of the days ending earlier. All motivation seems to go out the window at about 6pm these days! Having a delicious dessert to bake, or a baking project to look forward to at the weekend, can really make a big difference.
We ❤️ Marzipan
Now, you may or may not be aware of this, but marzipan is a key part of Scandinavian baking. This is no surprise if you have read through Scandinavian recipes before, as we really do love almonds in any form. It is also especially popular in other parts of Northern Europe, where many desserts are made with this delicious almond product (stollen!) and marzipan pigs are even given out as gifts (this is true in Norway too, of course). Why is this the case? Well, the history likely goes back to when the Vikings would trade with the Byzantine Empire via Constantinople, and could cheaply and easily import lots of almonds. The same trade relationship brought cardamom to Scandinavia as well, so it was certainly a significant one!
What is Mazarintærte?
Today’s recipe incorporates marzipan in one of our favorite ways: a tart! If you have tried other Scandinavian desserts with marzipan, you will know that it pairs amazingly with chocolate. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Scandinavians created a tart with marzipan and chocolate on top of flaky shortcrust pastry, resulting in a beautiful and rich dessert called mazarintærte. We also have a cake version, called mazarinkage, and of course, the main difference is the amazing pastry crust on this tart. Mazarinkage is also a bit fluffier, as the filling in the tart is very marzipan-like in terms of texture.
Flaky and Delicious Showstopper
Ultimately, this is just a dessert that you have to try if you like marzipan or almond-flavored baked goods. It also isn’t too challenging to make but looks absolutely beautiful, making it perfect for a dinner party or special occasion. The shortcrust pastry of the base is buttery and flaky, adding a nice crunch to the softer textures of the rest of the tart. The filling is all about packing a punch of almond flavor and sweetness, while the chocolate on top balances out the sweet and adds a wonderful richness. You can incorporate other flavors as you wish, including some orange zest or even a bit of rum in the filling. We hope you try out the recipe – read on to learn more about the ingredients you’ll need and how to make it.
Ingredients for Mazarintærte
Luckily, the ingredients for this dessert are pretty simple and easy to find. The tart dough is made with cold butter, flour, salt, sugar, and ice water. Then, the filling consists of almond flour, powdered sugar, egg whites, almond extract, and water. Then, you’ll need chocolate and heavy cream for the topping, as well as sliced almonds and flaky salt for the decoration. Optional ingredients include any flavors you want to add to the filling, such as the orange zest or rum mentioned above.
Making Mazarintærte
Making the tart is also pretty simple, thankfully! First, combine your dough ingredients and chill for at least 30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the marzipan filling. Then, roll out the dough and lower it into the tart pan, cleaning up the edges so it is neat. Put this in the freezer briefly to cool the dough down again, before spreading the marzipan filling on the tart. Bake and let this cool. Make the chocolate ganache, pour or spread over the tart, and decorate with almonds and flaky salt! Enjoy!
Mazarintærte (Marzipan Tart)
Ingredients
Dough
- 113 grams cold, cubed, unsalted butter
- 200 grams all purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 25 grams granulated sugar
- 3-4 tbsp ice water
Filling
- 300 grams almond flour
- 300 grams powdered sugar
- 4 egg whites (from large eggs)
- 1 tsp almond extract
- Water, if needed
Topping
- 100 grams chocolate (you can use chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, a chocolate bar, etc!)
- 100 milliliters heavy cream
- Sliced almonds, for decorating
- Flaky salt (optional)
Instructions
- Make the tart dough by combining flour, salt, and sugar in either a mixing bowl or a food processor.
- Add your butter either by hand (crumbling the cold butter into the flour until it your butter is broken down into smaller than pea size chunks or it resembles sand) or in the food processor (add your butter and pulse until the mixture resembles sand).
- Add ice water (or just very cold water) and pulse or combine by hand until the dough starts to stick together. It’s okay if it’s still a little crumbly, but if it’s not coming together at all, add as many tablespoons of ice water until the dough comes together.
- Wrap up your dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Towards the end of the resting time, preheat the oven to 190 °C or 375 °F
- Prepare the marzipan filling by combining almond flour, powdered sugar, egg whites, and almond extract in a bowl.
- Mix using a spatula until it forms a smooth paste (it will remain sticky!). You can also combine in a food processor! If it seems dry, you can add a little bit of water!
- After the dough has rested, begin rolling out dough on a well floured surface. We tend to roll the dough, then rotate it ninety degrees, adding more flour underneath, and continuing to roll. This also helps keep it a round shape!
- Roll into a 12" circle, about ⅛" to ¼" thick. We used a 10" tart pan for this recipe!
- Prepare a tart pan by buttering the sides and the bottom and adding a piece of parchment paper to the bottom.
- Roll the dough onto the rolling pin, making sure it doesn't stick to itself by adding flour as needed. This will help transfer it to the tart pan.
- Transfer to the tart pan by unrolling it across the pan.
- Lower the dough into the edges of the pan. Press down the corners gently, trying not to stretch the dough. If you need to patch any holes or add more dough to the edges to fill the fluted edge, just press any excess dough onto the hole or thin edge!
- Clean up the edges by removing any excess dough by running a knife along the edge.
- Put the tart in the freezer for about 5 minutes to cool down the butter in the dough from working with it.
- Add marzipan filling to the tart,
- Spread the filling evenly across the base. You can use an offset spatula to make it level, but don't worry too much about the surface being perfect!
- Bake the tart for 35-45 minutes, until the crust is golden, and the top of the marzipan is also lightly golden. It may puff up slightly, but it should fall when it cools!
- Remove from the oven and let the tart cool on a wire rack. If making chocolate ganache, follow the next step right after taking the tart out of the oven!
- Heat up heavy cream until just below boiling. We usually do this in a liquid measuring cup in the microwave, but feel free to use a pot on the stove. Add in the chocolate (if using large chunks, make sure to chop it into smaller pieces!) and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Stir the mixture well until the chocolate melts and it's totally smooth. If the chocolate doesn't fully melt, pop it in the microwave for 5 seconds at a time until all the chocolate has melted.
- Let the ganache set at room temperature until it thickens enough to either spread over the top, or pour over like an icing where it won't run off the sides. You could put it in the fridge, but it can harden pretty quickly in the cold, so make sure to keep an eye on it!
- Once the tart has cooled, you can remove the edge of the pan. Pour or spread the ganache on top of the tart.
- Make sure the ganache reaches all the way to the edge!
- Add sliced almonds and flaky salt for decoration.
- Slice and enjoy! If the ganache was runny when you poured it on top, it should set at room temperature. We do usually keep this in the fridge if we don't eat the whole thing within a day or so.
