Marzipan is hot these days. After years of being a creepy, foreign seeming thing (though my father loved it and my mother made real marzipan for him every other year or so), marzipan is popping up all over…even in some of our new grocery stores.
This recipe though is from long ago and is an easy-to-make marzipan that doesn’t require almond paste! If you are making this mainly for the pretty decoration and don’t like the heavy almond flavor you can even cut down or eliminate the almond extract or use vanilla instead. (oh the Marzipan purists will be horrified)

Marzipan

1 package Baker’s fine grated coconut
1 package (3 oz) Jell-0 Gelatin (any fruit flavor)
1 cup grated blanched almonds
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

Thoroughly mix all ingredients. Shape as small fruits, vegetables, hearts, Easter eggs or other forms. If desired, use food coloring to paint details on fruit and add stems of whole cloves or angelica. Chill until dry. Store, covered, at room temperature. Makes 2 to 3 dozen candies. From Joys of Jell-0, ~1960

For fruits use:

strawberry – strawberry gelatin
bananas, pears, lemons-lemon gelatin
green apples, leaves-green gelatin (err lemon-lime/lime)
oranges-orange gelatin
Cherries-cherry or black cherry gelatin