Almond paste

Almond paste

Almond paste is made from almond meal and sugar, with a small amount of cooking oil added to bind the two ingredients.

Almond paste is similar to marzipan, but contains much less sugar, typically 50-55%, whereas marzipan of cheap quality usually consists of 75-85% sugar (for comparison: Lübecker Marzipan contains 66% almonds). It is mainly used as filling in pastries, but can also be found in chocolates, as a higher quality alternative to marzipan.

In commercially manufactured almond paste, ground apricot or peach kernels are sometimes added to keep the cost down.

Almond paste is one of the main components of the Swedish traditional dessert semla, American bear claw pastry, and Chinese sweetheart cakes. It is also the main ingredient of traditional calisson candy from Aix-en-Provence in France, and a common filling in croissants.

In the Netherlands, almond paste is used in "gevulde speculaas" (Stuffed brown spiced biscuit) which is sold around the celebration of Saint Nicholas.

In German, almond paste is known as Lübecker Edelmarzipan, i.e. "high quality marzipan from Lübeck".