Looking for an occasion to indulge your sweet tooth? We think marzipans from Nordic Kandie Magic will make it very, very difficult to restrict…
India is not new to the concept of marzipan. A sweet paste made of ground almonds, it is often coloured and used to make small confections or as an icing for cakes. However, its name and quality differs widely in the country! Filling that gap of providing authentic marzipan is Nordic Kandie Magic.
Launched in Mumbai, India, recently, NKM sells gourmet marzipan, which is handmade and luxurious. A royal Estonian treat, it comes at a time where health takes preference over anything else, but not without the essential whiff of luxury.
Made with the finest quality ingredients sourced from world over, the heart and brain behind this luxury treat is the Estonian expatriate, Thea Tammeleht, who has used her family’s traditional recipe to create this delicacy. While her family back home has been making marzipan for generations, NKM was setup only last year by Ms Tammeleht and her husband Thomas Abraham, in the European Union. In India, they began setting up in the second half of 2013 and launched their product in February 2014. Sharing the love and secrets, Ms Tammeleht talks about luxury, sweets and Indians reacting to her brand.
A gift for one, or many
Placed in a lovely deep blue bag with a box, ribbon and, of course, perfect branding, the marzipan comes elegantly packaged, and makes for a perfect gift through the year. Right from Easter to wedding invites, NKM’s pretty boxes are spectacular enough to give and receive.
Trying to bring back old traditions and adding a royal touch to the products, prepare to be wowed as the marzipan is covered with edible gold and silver that has been specially imported from a factory supplying to royalty since 1820. Offering nothing but the best, all their gold and silver covered candies and pops come with a TÜV Certificate approving their quality.
The team uses only the finest Mamra Almonds that are imported from Iran. The type of almond used, the region where it is grown, the time of harvest and the moisture content are all taken into consideration in the process of marzipan making. "We choose almonds the way grapes are grown and chosen for creating the finest wine," said a passionate Ms Tammeleht.
A taste so fine
Using only the finest Belgium chocolate and natural flavours in their marzipan, the initial attraction will be towards the physical attributes. Silver balls, sugar flowers, something there and something here – that’s what makes these marzipans so exciting that even young children will want to eat them. Nestled in a classy box, the initial whiff of sweet almonds tickles the senses. Currently offering nine flavours: mint, chocolate, strawberry, orange, cherry, green apple, lychee, blackcurrant and almond, you may find yourself mentally expanding that list.
I, for one, couldn’t but hope that a lemon or even a mixed berry flavour would be included soon enough. It’s easy to pick out your flavours as the individually wrapped marzipan has small tags that pictorially describe the flavour. The chocolate and orange flavours, while very sweet, are perfect for those trying marzipan for the first time. Minus the strawberry flavour, which I found to be a little synthetic, the rest stay true to their tags, and one can even guess the flavours with shut eyes. Accompanied by a pretty green leaf on the top, the mint marzipan has just the right amount of flavour in it to refresh and easily make it to your list of favourites. Lychee lovers, especially women, will enjoy delving in to the white kandie with a bow, which not only looks great, but tastes lovely too. The black currant marzipan has quite a zing to it, as does the green apple flavoured one. Another popular one with the ladies, the cherry flavour, is dark pink with a flower – sweet and sour, naughty and nice. The chocolate flavour is, of course, a child’s favourite and the safest bet. According to me, this flavour had that buttery taste of cocoa and mild on the sweet side – perfect for even elders looking to sweeten their mouth. The orange marzipan is perfectly tangy to make your eyes shut for that essential one second. Being vegetarian, and cholesterol- and gluten-free, these treats can be relished by anyone and everyone.
The how and why
Marzipan’s origins are as interesting as its taste. Invented in Tallinn, Estonia (formerly known as Reval, one of the Hanseatic towns) in a pharmacy in the 15th century, legend has it that a powerful councilman was unwell and asked the town hall pharmacy to provide him with medicine. With the head pharmacist also unwell, the task was passed on to his apprentice. Knowing well that he would have to consume the medicine in front of the royal patient, he decided to make the medicine tasty by adding almonds and sugar. Mart’s medicine cured the councilman who loved the taste and called it Mardileib (in Estonian) or Mart’s Bread. Wish medicines today were half as delicious, don’t you?
Nordic Kandie Magic stands exclusively for authentic marzipan that is of the highest quality. The primary focus of the company is to create a complete segment for authentic ultra-luxury gourmet marzipan treats, and we, welcome this shift from the regular cakes and chocolates. And making it easier to order and revel in one, visit www.nordickandiemagic.com
