marzipan sotleties - ideas/photos please!!

[LadyC]

hello, I have seen some impressive sotleties made from marzipan and fruit and would like to make one for our feast on 2 April. Does anyone have pictures of any creations that I might try to emulate? many thanks! Lady Cristobel

[sally]

I've done a Green Man quite often with marzipan, I'll see if I have a picture of one squirelled away

eta, here's one, they vary a bit each time, this was actually on top of a Christmas cake one year, but imagine it without cake underneath and it works fine as a subtletie

[LadyC]

Sally - oh wow, thank you!

Please tell me how you coloured the leaves and the eyebrows? I was thinking of putting fruit and nuts inside and this will be ideal. It's wonderful! LadyC

[sally]

just squidge the marzipan around with some food colouring then let it rest a bit before you roll it out.

[LadyC]

thanks so much! I shall send you a pic of the end result if it's good!!
LadyC

[Martin]

I once made a complete Isle of Lewis chess set, I would recommend never ever doing that, it took me days lol

[LadyC]

ho ho, what a clever idea! I'll stick to my green man thank you! or maybe a sun face....

[gregory23b]

If you want to explore medieval food colouring then try these:

yellows - saffron - heat it dry then grind and soak, add to mix

gold: gold leaf over saffron or cochineal, otherwise the gold look flat and any faults show up.

green: parsley juice, grind in mortar then wring out in cloth, this is a really vibrant green and if used in batter and then cooked, looks like apple green

Red: cochineal: grind in mortar, mix with water, be careful of local water conditions, as this is very sensitive to changes in water pH, so may look cooler or warmer.

Blue: indigo, mixed or painted on. (not all subtleties were intended to be eaten).

I made some salt dough subtleties a few years' back:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_opxE ... 7_8858.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_opxE ... 6_9188.jpg

[Grymm]

Photos in this discussion group are quite good
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCA_Subtleties/
and they have a HUGE knowledge of the subject.

[LadyC]

Thank you so much to everyone who has offered advice! I am dying to get going on some creations for next week's banquet, and I have joined the SCA group. regards to all, LadyC

[bonnacon]

Just getting on the "watch" list !!
Interesting topic . . . . . .

[Captain Reech]

"The Secret Middle Ages" by Malcom Jones has some great details about biscuit moulds that might give you some ideas for interesting sotleties.....the other option would be to make one in the shape of a great big 'thingy', always good for a medieval giggle apparently.....