Marzipan has a very interesting history for such a simple dessert. It seems that it originated from the Orient and was traded to the Middle East and Europe. It has been so popular throughout history that even Shakespeare wrote about it in Romeo and Juliet, where he refers to it as “marchpane“. Regardless of the exact location it came from, marzipan has been around for about one thousand years! I found a great recipe from the Daring Gourmet to use for the brownies.

Once the marzipan is ready, brownies can be made. If you refrigerate or freeze the almond mixture, be sure to let it come to room temperature before using. For this recipe, I used half the amount I made (approximately 6 oz.).

Marzipan Brownies

3/4 C. Flour
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
Dash Salt
1/3 C. Butter
3/4 C. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Water
1 C. Chocolate Chips
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 Tbsp. Rose Water
2 Eggs
1/4 C. Chocolate Chips
6 oz. Marzipan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Melt the butter in a microwave, then add sugar and water. Stir the wet ingredients, then put them into the microwave until they bubble. Take the bubbling mixture and add 1 cup of chocolate chips, vanilla, and rose water to it and stir until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and beat each one into the mixture well. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients until the batter is smooth. At this point, add the rest of the chocolate chips (1/4 C.) and stir. Pour the batter into a greased 8″ X 8″ pan, then evenly distribute the marzipan. After placing the marzipan, cover it with batter. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes. If in doubt about it being baked, insert a toothpick into the middle of the pan. If the pick comes out clean, the brownies are done, but if the pick has food, the brownies need more time.