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Badem ezmesi
Badem ezmesi: Edirne's soft almond paste sweets, a Thracian take on marzipan
Edirne, on the Thracian border with Greece and Bulgaria, is famous for its badem ezmesi: pale, soft almond paste rolled into logs and sliced, or pressed into little shapes, sold beside the city's fruit-shaped soaps. It is less sugary than northern European marzipan, with blanched almonds ground fine and cooked briefly with syrup, so it stays moist and tastes of fresh nuts. It is served with Turkish coffee and given at bayram. Chef's tip: grind the almonds in short pulses with a spoonful of the sugar; long blending turns them oily and the paste goes greasy.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Pulse 10 ½ oz blanched almonds with 2 tablespoons of the 9 oz caster sugar in a food processor, in short bursts, to a fine, sandy powder.
5 minStep 2: Heat the rest of the sugar with ½ cup water in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring until dissolved, then boil for 5–6 minutes until a drop pressed between two fingers forms a short thread.
6 minStep 3: Add 1 tsp lemon juice and the ground almonds and stir over a low heat for 3–4 minutes, until the paste comes away from the sides in one soft mass. Common mistake: cooking it longer; it dries out and cracks when rolled.
4 minStep 4: Turn onto a board dusted with 2 tbsp icing sugar, add 1 tsp rose water if using, and knead with damp hands while still warm until smooth.
Step 5: Roll into two 2.5 cm logs, wrap and chill for 1 hour, then slice into rounds. Keep airtight in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
60 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 125 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does badem ezmesi take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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