Fondant vs Marzipan
Fondant and marzipan are two different things that can be used for decorating cakes. If you have seen ribbons and roses on a cake and wondered what it is that these decorative items made of, they could be either marzipan or fondant. While fondant is a type of frosting that is pliable, marzipan is a paste made up of ground almonds. This paste is used to cover cakes and to make candies in different shapes. While it is difficult to tell the difference while eating a cake as both are equally tasty, this article attempts to find out the differences between fondant and marzipan that happen to be tools used by a confectioner, to decorate his cakes.
What is Fondant?
If you have been fascinated by the sculpting or decoration of a cake or a pastry with frosting or icing, it is made by a substance called fondant. Fondant is available in several types, and it can be poured or rolled over the cake or the pastry to make various shapes. When it is in a liquid form to be poured, it is a mixture of water and sugar heated and beaten to become almost creamy. For wedding cakes, it is the rolled form of the fondant that is commonly used. This is a gelatin that contains sugar and maintains pliability like dough.
What is Marzipan?
Though there are variations in terms of ingredients, most common type of marzipan is one that is made with sugar and ground almonds adding water to make a paste. This paste is used to make imitations of fruits and vegetables that look beautiful and are used to decorate cakes or eaten as it is by kids who love the sweet taste of marzipan. There are also marzipan candies sold in the market with the paste being given different shapes of animals and fruits. It is possible to dye marzipan in any color to make colorful objects and icings on a cake or a pastry.
What is the difference between Fondant and Marzipan?
• Fondant is mainly water and sugar and thus tastes sweeter than marzipan that is made of water and ground almonds.
• Fondant can be poured or rolled to decorate cakes and pastries whereas marzipan is used to make small fruits and animal figures to be sold as candies or to decorate the cakes.
• It is better to choose fondant to decorate a white cake, as marzipan can never be dyed pure white.
• When used in rolled form, to make flowers on cakes, fondant contains gelatin to keep the icing pliable.
• Marzipan tastes better than fondant as it contains almonds.
• Marzipan also allows a confectioner to make animal shaped candies that are loved by kids.
• If it is sweetness that is of prime concern, fondant is a better choice. On the other hand, marzipan is the automatic choice when the confectioner wants to flavor his cake.