It’s a small world…Read on my sweet readers..
My gorgeous husband is addicted to many things….his favorite foods, favorite beer, Houston Texans, Houston Rockets and nutty mazapanes. You ask why I am not on the list, I said addictions…I am classified as his obsession..(smile).
Mazapanes are a Mexican candy that is made of either peanuts, almonds or pistachios. Blended with sugar the natural oil of the nuts to infuses the sugar to create a crumbly paste. This paste is then formed into heafty round disks wrapped in cellophane. These candies are sold individually or by the case.
When we moved to Killeen, Texas for his Army duties he was severely crushed to not find a single store that sold these circular treats. I patiently explained to him, after he recovered from what he considered a enormous blow to his heart, that I would kindly ask Papi (my father) to pick up extra pkgs when he visited his mother. He instantly agreed, even as going to the extra measure to personally call Papi. We rented a home in Killeen mid November and celebrated a Texas Christmas with my entire family driving to Central Texas. My husband’s first Army Christmas was a success a home filled with family, piping warm tamales in his belly and three boxes of mazapanes straight from Papi’s loving grasp. In the next months with the rush of work, unpacking his family, preparing for his first deployment to Iraq and worries about his tiny family living alone an entire year he pushed all his favorites aside. After he left in March, Papi came to visit me knowing I needed my family. As we talked he wondered how my husband would make the transition from an American Life to the life of a full time soldier.
Three weeks later I received a call relaying my husband’s new address allowing families to mail their soldiers care pkgs. I quickly relayed the information to my entire family knowing they would quickly send out care packages to shower him with much needed comfort.
Phone calls were sparse the first month, but after their routines clicked the calls came once a week. Early one morning I received a phone call with his voice weary from lack of sleep, but his words oozing from excitement.
” Guess what ?” he quickly said.
“I met a soldier from Houston today.”
I smiled, Texans naturally migrate towards other Texans.
“We talked for a hour, we talked about how we missed carne gusida, refried beans, home made tortillas and our Sunday football games.”
I listened quietly.
“Can you believe he has knows where Driscoll, Texas is? (Driscoll , Texas is my husband’s very small hometown)”
He knows where Driscoll is, wow .
“It’s a small world babe and you know what is even funnier?”
What ?
” The soldier from Houston said what he missed from home the most was eating his favorite Mexican candy – mazapan.”
Really, he loves them as much as you do?
“Well guess it’s your lucky day I just got a care pkg from Papi loaded with mazapan!”
It is a small world.
This recipe comes from My Sweet Mexico by Fany Gerson. When the doorbell rang I pounced on the mailman to retrieve my copy. As I opened the book I was flooded with sweet memories of my childhood visits to my beloved Mexico. Fany features recipes such as Polvorones (mexican wedding cookies), Jamoncillo de Pepita (pumpkin seed candy), Merengues Ruta Maya (lime meringues), Nogada de Nuez (piloncillo candied Pecans), Orejones (cinnamon sugar ears), and Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings Bread). There is a complete chapter dedicated to Corn which in itself made my week. The sweets are presented traditionally as you would see in Mexico giving the book such a warming homey feeling. I was completely flooded with emotion, that I instantly emailed Fany to express my love for her cookbook. I laughed with my little sister later at how I must have sounded like such a dork to Fany. Later in the evening when I checked my email, she responded with the sweetest email….ahhh I melted again. Enjoy as I am sure her recipes will be featured often. Sweet Life
Mazapanes de Cacahuate
by Fany Gerson
My Sweet Mexico
2 cups toasted unsalted peanuts, skins removed (pistachios,pecans, or almonds may be substituted)
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Grind the peanuts in a food processor. Add the sugar and continue mixing, scraping the sides from time to time, until the peanuts release their oil and a compact paste is formed when pressed between your fingers.
Be patient as this may take a bit of time depending on your food processor.
Put some of the paste into a 2 inch diameter cookie cutter, filling it up about 3/4 inch high.
Press down with your hands until compacted.
Remove the cutter carefully and repeat until all paste is used.
Wrap in cellophane or tissue like a sugar candy.
makes 10
Wrapping Mazapanes
To prepare the wrapper using cellophane or tissue, cut 10 pieces into 4 by 3 inch rectangles. Then cut thin strips of a little less than 1 inch from the short sides toward the center all the way down. Put the marapane in the center and roll over so the candy is fully covered, then twist the ends.
Nice recipe, you can use 50/50 or 40/60 sugar an peanut, if you use more peanuts than sugar is better and you can add two drops of vanilla so that it is more than better.
Thanks for the tip Horacio!
I tried mazapan in my spanish class today and i knew it tasted like powdered sugar and peanuts!
I love this story and I must tell you, I’m super addicted to these also. I also gotta tell you, EVERY Dollar General I’ve ever been into has a little “Mexican aisle”, there you can find all sorts of mexican candies, including the delarosa mazapan. They are sold in a package of 6 for a dollar. Just thought I’d let you know, but I can’t wait to try the homemade version!
Thanks Emilie-
That’s good to know! Thanks, hope you try the homemade version.
Vianney
Yumm can’t wait to try the recipe! I was really into your story 🙂
Yumm can’t wait to try the recipe! I was really into you’re story 🙂
Sounds yummy can wait to make my first batch… maybe I will sell them for our kidos bake sale… I can’t wait…:) Thank you
Hola Jessica!!
Thanks for stopping by! I am sure they will be a hit at any bake sale, good luck!!
Omg amiga! These are my absolute favs! I will be making them this week! Thank you for this super simple receta! 😉
Thank you very much for sharing this recipe, Mazapanes are completely link to my childhood, I used to buy one every time my mom sent me to the store or to buy some tortillas, superb!
I used to buy these at Mexican grocery stores not knowing their name; did not know they were so easy to make either! Great story too!
the thing is, as oposed to marzipan (it being sorta sticky and pasty), mazapanes are crumbly and oh so deliciously powdery… they are the best sinful thing in all of mexico. Los mazapanes de La Rosa are pretty much my all time, whole life addiction. I never knew they were so easy to replicate, I will be doing some of these.
Your husband is right in loving them, they are the best candy ever.
@tuzo thanks for stopping by, yes they are addicting..my husband has requested them every week, Rosa’s are our fav.. Please let me know how they turn out!!
sweetlife
I wonder if Mazapanes is similar to english marzipan, which is an almond paste of sorts.
I love it that you categorise yourself as an obsession, rather than an addiction. You’re my kind of girl daaaahling.
*kisses* HH
Oh…this is such a nice story. I can really tell how you two are sweet on each other–I hope that your gorgeous husband comes home safe. This candy sounds fab–never eaten it before, but I have a soft spot for nut candies.
Sweet story and a sweet recipe. These sound really easy to make… dangerously easy 😉 I’ve been having crazy nut cravings lately…
what a sweet stories:)
These sound so awesome!
My mom loves marzipan- She would totally dig this!
oh, how i long to be someone’s obsession…a healthy obsession, that is. nothing crazy. 🙂
awesome cookies, milady. they’re simple yet fantastic!
Adorable post…Love the recipe 🙂
SO cute your story 🙂 These sweets are awesome, it melts in your mouth…yummie!
These sounds like great candies! They sound like fun to make too.
Oh those look amazing! I’ll have to try this one for sure.
Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma What’s For Dinner
http://www.mawhats4dinner.com
Bonnie, I didn’t realize your sweetie is in Iraq. My cousin, also a Texas guy, just recently got home from his deployment there. And how sweet that you are his obsession. I really like that clarification. 🙂
I was not familiar with this cookbook, but it sounds like one I need to check out. And I will definitely be putting this candy on my list of Christmas goodies for this year. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve never had mazapanes but they sound a lot like my grandmother’s favourite candy of crushed peanut and sugar, compressed into little discs! I’d love to try the almond and pistachio ones!
Such a warm and sweet story – it really is a small world and thank goodness for that!!
This post of yours went way beyond sweet. It made me realize how ridiculous I’m being when I worry about my Hubby getting mistreated at the executive level in his very comfy office.
The next time I start getting concerned…I’ll quickly think of you and your dearest and how difficult it must be for you to be apart.
I’m so glad he found some comfort in a friend and some sweets to come ;o)
Ciao for now,
Claudia
Aw, what a poignant story! And you cracked me up about being his obsession, not addiction. 😉
I’ve tried this sweet before! A group in my Health Promotion class was doing a presentation on Mexico, and this is what they brought for us to try!
What a sweet post. The cookbook sounds fabulous. I have a friend from Nicaragua. I wonder if she would enjoy the cookbook as a gift, or if her memories of favorite desserts would be very different.
I completely understand your husband’s addiction — thank you for sharing this recipe!
What a wonderfully sweet story!
I hope your solider come home soon!
Angie
I have never tried these candies before. Again, thanks for sharing.
Such a fun story! It put a smile on my face. I would love to find that cookbook. How sweet of Fany to email you a sweet reply.
Awwww…. what a great story, My husband would loooooooove that he is crazy about peanuts. And thank you for your lovely words in my site, specially today… I was kicked out of the FB competition.
Have a great weekend Bonnie.
great post as ever it must be hard with your hubby away special foods make all the difference hugs Rebecca
love your story and recipe!!
have a lovely weekend!
jen @ http://www.passion4food.ca
What a sweet story – that he has a part of home with him – and such a small part – but it brings him great joy. Why didn’t I know he was in Iraq? I must of missed that somewhere along the way…I’ve never had these but I’m pretty sure I would love them. That’s great that you can make them yourself now.
@Reeni…sorry about the confusion…I forgot to mention this was a couple of years age, when we lived in Killeen..we are currently in edinburg..
sweetlife
Bonnie~ What a great story and recipe! It’s often the littlest things that bring the greatest connections!
It is a small world indeed. I have my many addictions that I cannot live without so I can truly relate. Interesting read.
What a sweet story to go along with this sweet recipe. Mazapan sound like something I would crave as well…and now I can know for sure by making them myself!
I have never had those in my life–although I have heard of them plenty of times. You know, it reminds me of this Filipino dish called Pulvuron. Oh my! It also looks good! Send some my way…so you need my address right? Haha!
That must be to die for! I am drooling…
Cheers,
Rosa
What a wonderful post. You and your husband are two amazing people, and I’m glad that I’m able to peek into your life. These little sweets sound delicious, and I’m glad that you were able to find a recipe to make them from scratch. Thank you for sharing…your photographs and your writing is beautiful!
this is definitely going into my list of favorites … ya know my favorite from Mexican visits – Orejones, I always try and find them in bakeries… Papi is one nice feller…
Wonderful story…
Fun. I’ve not ever had mazapan but I’d sure like to try it. Thanks for teaching me new things.
Okay, these are my hubby’s favorite, too…and I have them marked in this very same book to make soon!! Yours are gorgeous…I am enamoured by so many things in this book…you should see the number of papers sticking out of it, LOL!!! YUM 🙂
What a wonderful recipe!! These came out so gorgeous – would make great Christmas gifts.
@Belinda…christmas gifts, what a great idea!!
sweetlife
Hey Bonnie, your husband sounds too sweet. And I can see why he loves this candy. I mean, mazapan is so simple and delicious. Plus, peanut mazapan sounds awesome;)! I’ve never had it, but peanuts are my favorite nut (even though they are technically a pea). They’re still my favorite ‘nut’ though (smile). Very underrated peanuts, peanut butter and the like are-me thinks at least.
Oh, and I’m so making this. It’s too easy, and I bet Cauldron Boy would love it.
p.s. Tell the Chuls her Mummy cupcakes were too cute!
@Stella….a pea wow thanks for the info, oh yes cauldron boy would loves these..too easy a sweet not to try!! Chuls sends her thanks..HUGS
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND..
sweetlife
Thanks for the recipe. Simple ingredients and so simple to prepare. This will be on top of my list to must make this weekend. Love the idea of substitute with other nuts.
Dearest – What a sweet, touching, lovely story. I LOVE how how you distinguish yourself as his ‘obsession’.
May your love & Mazapans live long! 🙂 Thanks for such a lovely post.
Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
I’m such a Fany Gerson fan too! Thanks for sharing one of her recipes!
Hope your soldier is doing well 🙂
@Dessert for two…another Fany fan, wonderful ..thanks for visiting
sweetlife