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Marzipan is a true delicious treat to use in cake baking, great for a number of decorating uses. It can be somewhat problematic at times, particularly when it has not been stored correctly – and that applies to both store-bought and home-created marzipan types. You’ll soon start searching for ways to stop marzipan drying out!
If you don’t store marzipan the right way, it’ll soon dry out. And the last thing you’ll want is dried out marzipan. As well as being unpleasant to eat, and without the squishy texture that the sweet treat is known for, it’ll also be virtually impossible to work with.
Drying out means basically rock hard.
But you can undo that hardening process in some cases.
Why Does Marzipan Dry Out?
It all comes down to the marzipan quite literally drying out. The moisture escapes the food product, leaving behind a dry, hard lump of something that tastes quite sweet, but is too brittle for the decorations and other jobs it was intended for.
You can slow the drying process, and in some cases, you can almost virtually stop it. You just need to counteract or stop the escaping of moisture.
Without a couple of special measures (which are actually super simple), it is without a doubt that your marzipan will turn dry and unusable. With those special measures, however, your marzipan can last for much, much longer than you even thought.
How to Stop Marzipan Drying Out
The best way to stop marzipan from drying out is to ensure you store it in the right way, and this applies to both store-bought and homemade marzipan types.
Marzipan is less likely to turn hard when it has been stored in either:
a) the original airtight, sealed packaging it was purchased in;
or
b) an airtight container or bag.
It depends on: whether or not the marzipan is store-bought or homemade, the specific ingredients in it, the storage recommendations on the packaging (if any), whether or not you have opened it (for store-bought varieties), and the temperature/ambient conditions of your storage place.
Where Should I Store Marzipan to Stop It Drying Out?
Ideally, you will want to store your marzipan in a cool, dry place that is free from sunlight. Warm temperatures will cause food, including marzipan, to dry out or turn bad quicker. The same applies for high levels of moisture.
Sunlight will also cause reactions with the food, and if the marzipan is coloured, the sun will bleach it and fade the brightness.
A cupboard or pantry is a great storage place for marzipan.
What’s the Best Container for Marzipan?
If you have a kitchen just like my mother’s, with an entire cupboard dedicated to Tupperware tubs, you could use one of those. Any container that is completely airtight will keep your marzipan nice and fresh and still moist enough to work with.
You could also use a Ziplock-style bag, or any other type of freezer or food bag that can be completely sealed, either in the form of tying it up or with a zip-style action across the top.
Airtight containers and bags prevent air, heat, smells, and other things from directly contacting the marzipan, which slows down the process of it drying out.
If you don’t have a Tupperware container, Ziplock bag, or other airtight bag or container, you could always use a cling film, aluminium foil, or a combination of the two. I personally recommend wrapping in a double layer of cling film, or a layer of cling film and then a layer of foil.
You will need to ensure that the marzipan doesn’t come into contact with air, so use as many layers as you think is necessary. The better it has been wrapped, the longer the sweet treat will last.
If you have not yet opened your store-bought marzipan, you could just leave it inside the original packaging it came in, providing it has not yet been opened. If the packaging is still sealed, it is still airtight – and marzipan has a super-long shelf life when stored in airtight containers.
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