Monday Christmas Cookie (12) - Home-Made Marzipan... Mushroom

Sounds pretty gross, eh? Yet these cute little shroomies are very friendly and tasty (supposing you love marzipan as much as I do).
Here I am tempted to share one funny love-and hate marzipan relationship, an annual gift from my mother to her "demanding" husband:

In Slovakia, we have been making these every Christmas for decades, which ended up in a general aversion towards these cute little shroomies as such. My mum revolted several times claiming that they suck and she s not going to make them again. How unfortunate, my dad (and myself) are in love with them, so mother (regardless of her personal feelings and verbal threats of her determination of NOT making them AGAIN) - she is ready to fulfil her husband´s (who cares about the daughter?) every wish. Each December towards its end, she still throws herself into a huge pile of home-made marzipan and starts folding and molding and thus surprises my dad with a nice happy family of:

HOME-MADE MARZIPAN... MUSHROOMS:
(Marcipánové hríbiky)

• 200 g ground almonds
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 1 - 2 egg whites
• 30 g chocolate or cocoa powder (I use carob powder)
  

Set aside a tablespoon or two egg whites.
Combine almonds, sugar and egg whites and mix well to for a firm dough. Set aside about two thirds of the dough and to the rest, add finely grated chocolate or cocoa powder. Mix well, so the brown color spreads evenly.

From the brown part, form the mushroom caps. From the white parts, roll out the stems. With a help of the remaining egg white, "glue" the mushroom caps to the stems. Once standing, sprinkle them with cocoa powder.

Super easy, no baking, drying, anything. Holds for weeks (gradually getting hard and tooth-breaking friendly).

These cuties march to Danielle´s Habeas Brulee, who is a hostess of this months´s Sugar High Friday (oh, yes... forgot to mention, mushrooms are sooooooo high in sugar :-S, too bad, but too good). The theme is Sweet Gifts.

During my time of hosting A Spoonful of Christmas event, I have received tons of gift-friendly food items. Here is the round-up for further inspiration.