Marzipan

Mazapán

There are proposed two lines for its origin; they are not necessarily contradictory and may be complementary. The recipe moved on from Persia to the Middle East and then to Europe through Al-Andalus. Another possible geographic origin is in Spain, then known as Al-Andalus. In Toledo (850-900, though more probably 1150 during the reign of Alfonso VII) this specialty was known as Postre Regio instead of Mazapán) and there are also mentions in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights of an almond paste eaten during Ramadan and as an aphrodisiac. Mazapán is Toledo's most famous dessert, often created for Christmas, and has PGI status.
By Tapas Together Edinburgh