Lübeck Marzipan
What distinguishes "Lübeck marzipan"?The basic elements of marzipan products are marzipan paste and sugar. It is the ratio of these raw materials which primarily determines the flavour.
Legislation permits products
marketed under the designation marzipan to have a ratio as low as 50 parts marzipan
paste to 50 parts sugar.
We thus distinguish between:
- Lübeck marzipan, with a ratio of at least 70 parts marzipan paste and 30 parts sugar, and
- Lübeck fine marzipan, with a ratio of 90 parts marzipan paste and 10 parts sugar.
This basic formula has been specified in writing in a regulation of the RAL German Institute for Quality Assurance and Certification. In addition, our little "secret" has been combined with this basic formula.
Since July 1996, Lübeck marzipan has been registered in the gazette of the European Union as a "protected designation of geographical origin".
The production of marzipan
We are continually asked how in fact "Lübeck marzipan" is made.
This is the essential secret of our firm. The manufacture naturally requires a high degree of know-how, many years of experience, strong quality consciousness, state-of-the-art production technology and the use of carefully selected raw materials and ingredients. We hope you will understand that we cannot record all of this for you here.
However, instead, we will describe for you the manufacturing process for Lübeck marzipan in an easily understood manner, as follows:
After the almonds are harvested, they are first transported to the production facilities of the marzipan paste manufacturers. There the almonds are subjected to a rigorous inspection and qualitative selection process by means of laboratory technology. The almonds are checked visually and technically for flawless quality, before being forwarded to the "husking and skinning" process. Here the almonds are treated with scalding hot water, so that the almond skins are loosened and the almonds themselves become more resilient. In a further sorting process, the almond skins and any remaining unhusked almonds are separated out electronically. The almonds are washed once more and are then ground or crushed and mixed with sugar. Next this mixture is heated until the sugar melts. The "roasting" process follows. This involves heating the ground almond paste to over 100 degrees Celsius, and keeping it at this temperature for a certain time. During this process the required moisture content of the paste is achieved and the typical aromas are developed. After a controlled cooling phase the paste is stored in precisely defined thermal conditions for a specified period of time. This is referred to as the actual "maturing process", which develops the aroma and structure.
This marzipan paste constitutes the "basic ingredient" for the production of "Lübeck marzipan" in our firm. Here the paste is "worked on" according to the quality criteria for Lübeck marzipan. It is then again subjected to a maturing process.
Once the marzipan paste has matured in accordance with our requirements, it can be processed further.
The "Lübeck marzipan" is then converted by "shaping" to the desired form (e.g. loaves, pieces, sweets, figures, etc.), and if required is filled and chocolate-coated. During this process, precisely defined cooling times for the individual steps and transport times between operations must be maintained, in order to ensure the desired quality.
The products are then packaged by machine or, as is customary in the case of the figures, are skilfully painted by hand using food colouring and then packaged.
Throughout the entire production, the subsequent storage, and the transportation to the consumer market, exact climatic conditions are maintained so as to meet the high quality control requirements.
We can thus ensure that our Lübeck marzipan is always supplied to the market at a consistently high quality level.
If, contrary to expectation, you ever nonetheless have grounds for complaint, we ask you to send us the product (including packaging), specifying the purchase location. In the case of a justified complaint, we will immediately provide a replacement. By sending the defective product, you give us the opportunity of expediting the relevant investigations and causal analyses, in order to correct such problems in future. You can see that we depend here upon your co-operation.
Think as we do - no compromises in choosing quality!