Sometimes you give someone a recipe for a cashewnut Christmas marzipan and they want the almond marzipan instead. Or you share a recipe for the chocolate marzipan Easter eggs and they want to cashew mass pav version. Such is life! I’ve been repeating it a lot since sis’ boss Shantanu said it. Haha! So here’s a collection of different East Indian marzipan desserts and recipes you can try for Christmas, Easter, or any festive occasion.
The history of the word marzipan is not entirely certain, but marzipan desserts can be traced back to the Europe in the 1500s when almond flour was used as a replacement for wheat flour during shortages. Marzipan is the German name that is more well-known than the old English word ‘marchpane’ or march bread.
At that time, Marzipan was made of almond meal and sugar, and sometimes egg and there are different variations all over Europe.
Our East Indian marzipan is a cultural recipe that was brought to India by our Portuguese conquistadors in the 15th century. When they forced us to convert from Syriac Christianity to Catholicism, they also implanted a lot of their food traditions into our culture. Some of them were good like the vindaloo, sorpotel, marzipan, and vanilla cream. So although our marzipan is often made with almond paste, sugar and egg whites, we also have a version made using cashew paste, sugar and egg whites.
If you’re looking for different moulded marzipan desserts to serve at Christmas dinner, Easter lunch, or any festive celebration, here are some of the traditional recipes we make. Below you’ll find both Christmas marzipan sweets and Easter marzipan desserts from our traditional East Indian kitchen.
Traditional East Indian Marzipan Desserts
1. East Indian Cashewnut Marzipan (Christmas Dessert)
2. Almond Marzipan Christmas Sweets
3. Chocolate Marzipan Easter Eggs Recipe
4. Vegan Marzipan Easter Eggs (Eggless Glutenfree Recipe)
5. Cashewnut Marzipan Easter Eggs
6. Almond Marzipan Easter Eggs (East Indian Recipe)
7. Lemon Marzipan Easter Eggs Recipe
How Other Cultures Cook Marzipan
8. Kwareżimal – Malta’s Traditional Lenten Sweet
Cakes made With Marzipan
9. Lightning McQueen Checkerboard Sponge Cake
Whether you prefer almond marzipan, cashew marzipan, or chocolate marzipan sweets, these traditional marzipan desserts offer a delicious taste of the East Indian holiday traditions, and are perfect for festive celebrations like Christmas and Easter.
Heya, I’m Abby! I’m a Gourmand Award-winning cookbook author and East Indian from Bombay, India. This blog is all about faith, food, and culture – from East Indian recipes to home, DIY, and spending time in the Word. Find out more about me here!