{"id":20732,"date":"2019-11-22T09:05:04","date_gmt":"2019-11-22T08:05:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bake-street.com\/?p=20732"},"modified":"2026-04-08T12:27:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T10:27:05","slug":"marzipan-eel-from-toledo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bake-street.com\/en\/marzipan-eel-from-toledo\/","title":{"rendered":"Marzipan Eel from Toledo, Christmas pastry"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve been in the mood for a season to prepare “old-fashioned”, classic, traditional recipes…If we stop to think about it, they are the elaborations that most tend to like and to which we always go when we want to guarantee a success. This happens much more at Christmas, because they are elaborations of all life, with flavors of always that manage to transport us to part of the best moments and\/or memories of our life. That’s why I really wanted to make this Marzipan Eel from Toledo or Anguila de mazap\u00e1n<\/em><\/strong>. One of the most characteristic preparations of this time of year.<\/p>\n

This does not mean that they are not consumed the rest of the year, because there are bakeries in Toledo<\/a> that have them available throughout the year. But it is true that it is a more usual elaboration of these dates. The reason could be because of the ingredients with which it is made, the idea of locating it on these dates, as it is considered a whim of a certain moment of the year…<\/p>\n

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\"Marzipan <\/picture><\/div>\n

Because if we acquire it in a bakery, it’s certainly a whim<\/strong>. The prices, according to size, can range from 10\u20ac of 9 cm in diameter up to 210\u20ac of 50 cm in diameter. We will elaborate an eel of 30 cm of diameter, approximately.<\/p>\n

Marzipan origin.<\/h2>\n

Although many of us think that marzipan was born in Toledo, there are many sources that differ from this idea. It is one of the most classic and traditional confectionery, made with almonds (50%), sugar, honey and, depending on the recipe, water or eg<\/strong>g.<\/p>\n

It is true that the first written reference appears in Toledo and dates back to 1520<\/strong>, written in Catalan and translated into Spanish in 1525. But it was already known centuries before in Italy<\/strong>, there is a theory that points to the origin of marzipan comes from a monastery in Sicily, and Arab countries<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

One version maintains that marzipan could have been introduced in Europe by the south with the Muslim invasion of the Iberian peninsula in the 8th century or from the east through pilgrims and crusaders.<\/p>\n

The most remote origin on marzipan seems to be Greek<\/strong>, a dessert made with almond paste and honey.<\/p>\n

What marzipan from Toledo can boast of is its excellent quality<\/strong> thanks to the ingredients and processes used to make it. So much so that, at present, it is exported to numerous countries.<\/p>\n

\"Marzipan <\/picture><\/div>\n

The word marzipan although it has Arabic etymology.<\/h3>\n

It has a traditional origin based on legends that say it was created in times of scarcity by the nuns of the Toledo Convent of San Clemente<\/em><\/strong>. It is said that the nuns, in order to calm the need for food, made a sweet paste from the ingredients they had at that time; sugar and almonds.<\/p>\n

The almonds were crushed with a mace and the result of this cooked dough was called “Pan de Maza<\/strong><\/em>“, being the sustenance that was served to the besieged. It was at that moment when Toledo became the cradle of marzipan.<\/p>\n

In 1615, Felipe III approved the ordinance of the Toledo Confectioners’ Guild<\/strong> in recognition of its good work in handcrafted confectionery. Today you can still buy marzipan made by the nuns.<\/p>\n

\"Marzipan <\/picture><\/div>\n

Origin of the marzipan eel.<\/h2>\n

This marzipan figure is one of the oldest<\/strong>, whose existence has been witnessed in Toledo since the time of the Catholic Monarchs. The elaboration of the eel is a set of creativity on the part of the confectioners, in some cases it seems almost sculpted, joined to a historical anecdote.<\/p>\n

It seems that there is a hidden motive behind the production of the marzipan eel and this is due to the interest of the Christian authorities of the 15th-16th centuries in discovering false Jews and hidden false converts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In 1492, the Catholic Monarchs decreed the total expulsion of the Sephardic, Iberian Jews, from Spain. They could only stay if they embraced Christianity. Many of them emigrated, but many others remained, thus becoming Christians. Of course, the suspicion of “false conversion” always was on them.<\/p>\n

The eel is a forbidden animal in Judaism<\/strong>, like other fish that do not have fins or scales. The reason why he decided to give this appearance to marzipan was to see who ate it with pleasure or who rejected it and, in this way, to give them away. Christians expected to identify false converts who appeared to be Christians, but in reality they were still heart-felt Jews.<\/p>\n

It is said that in order for Jews to consume this marzipan eel, many confectioners began to draw scales on the surface with royal icing or simulate them with almond slices.<\/p>\n

Whatever the origin of this delicacy, we will enjoy it remembering a popular Toledan saying: \u00abDe pesca o de mazap\u00e1n, las anguilas buenas est\u00e1n\u00bb<\/em><\/p>\n

It would be something like : “Fishing or made with marzipan, delicious eels are”.<\/p>\n