Wartime Mock Marzipan

Happy Saturday Lovelies

Well today it was time to start icing my Christmas cake.. and you can't have a British Christmas Cake without a marzipan layer between the top of the cake and the icing... even in wartime.

This recipe for Mock Marzipan comes from the 1945 Ministry of Food leaflet.. and quite honestly I really like it.

I used the syrup instead of sugar.. and I used plain flour instead of soya as I couldn’t justify the expense of buying something I probably wouldnt use again. But it turned out great and I loved the taste. It was very soft to roll.. but after chilling for a couple of hours it was much firmer. And while not quite the same as real marzipan, it was a really good substitute.

This recipe will cover a small fruit cake... so I doubled it for mine. Now its drying til tomorrow until its dry enough to ice

1 tablespoon water
1 oz. margarine
1 teaspoon ratafia or almond essence
2 oz. sugar or syrup
2 oz. soya flour

• Melt margarine in water
• Add essence and sugar, then soya flour. 
• Turn on to a board and knead well.
• Roll out the marzipan to the size of the top of your Christmas cake
• Brush the top of your cake with your favourite jam...apricot is lovely
• Carefully place the marzipan on top.. flattening the outside to make a neat edge
• Allow to dry before decorating the top with royal, fondant.. or even Mock Icing