If you can't get to Italy but still want some colorful, fruity marzipan treats, the candies are easy to ship – if you know where to look. Known as “frutta martorana”, these candies are well protected after the paint is applied and can last for years. There are some global manufacturers shipping candy from as far away as Italy, but also local confectioneries producing handmade candies that ship nationwide.
(Photo Credit: Amazon)
This New Jersey-based company was founded by German immigrant Gunter Schott in 1987, but is now run by Turkish brothers according to NorthJersey.com. The small factory is in Bergenfield, New Jersey and uses California-grown almonds for their products, making this a truly American production. The company sells assortments of fruit-shape candy that include strawberry, orange, lemon, and pear, flavored with real fruit juice. They also produce Easter shapes like bunny rabbits, and shapes with symbols celebrating Jewish holidays. The candies are also kosher. These marzipan fruits are mass produced using molds and widely available in national retailers like TJ Maxx, chain grocery stores, and some shops will even sell Bergen Marzipan as their own house brand. They can even be purchased from Amazon.
(Photo Credit: Made in Eatalia)
Brothers Piero and Salvo Motta founded this Sicilian-based candy company in 2016 as an upscale confectionery. The company sells almond paste treats, dried fruits, nougat, nut brittles, jams, and of course, marzipan fruits. These are handmade in Italy and decorated by artisan hands. The products are available internationally through specialty shops like Philadelphia's Gran Caffè L'Aquila.
(Photo Credit: Eataly)
This thirty-year-old confectionery concern began in a small village near Mount Etna producing cannoli shells. Since that time, the business has expanded to include other traditional Sicilian sweets, including marzipan frutti di sicilia, available through online merchants and internationally through Eataly.
(Photo Credit: Made in Eatalia)
This family confectionery company was founded in 1954 to produce sweets with Sicilian techniques. Almonds, pistachios, and hazelnuts form the foundation of all their products. The company sells almond paste flavored with lemon and orange, as well as similar products made from pistachio and hazelnuts. As for marzipan fruits, the confectionery shop sells frutta di martorana internationally through Eataly.
(Photo Credit: Ian MacAllen)
This Brooklyn-based bakery has a full selection of Marzipan shapes and sells them by the pound. The shop ships nationwide. The marzipan products include photo realistic replicas of pizza, hamburgers, french fries, and other food items as well as miniature fruits and assorted fish. The confectionery shop was founded in 1976 in the north Brooklyn Italian neighborhood and more recently has been using Instagram to build viral buzz around items like marzipan fruits and St. Joseph's Day sweets.
(Photo Credit: Villabate Alba)
This south Brooklyn confectionery shop ships a selection of “frutta martorana” by the pound. The Alaimo family-owned shop opened in 1979 after the founders Angelo and Emanuele had worked at bakeries across Brooklyn. The shop sells breads, pastries, and gelato, and has become a popular spot to find handmade marzipan. The flavors include Watermelon, Strawberry, Fig, Banana, Corn, Cherry, Tangerine and Lemon. The treats can be ordered online, at least when the popular sweets haven't sold out.
(Photo Credit: CircosPastryShop.com)
Another family-run, Brooklyn pastry, Circo's Pastry Shop is based in Bushwick and has been operating since 1945. The shop is known for a mix of Italian pastries like fresh-made cannoli, Sicilian fig cookies, and pistachio, but it also ships fruit-shaped marzipan nationwide.
Ian MacAllen
Ian MacAllen is America Domani's Senior Correspondent and the author of Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American. He is a writer, editor, and graphic designer living in Brooklyn. Connect with him at IanMacAllen.com or on Twitter @IanMacAllen.