Finally found an answer Iain... Almond Paste has less sugar content then marzipan acording to Wikipedia:

"In the U.S., marzipan is not officially defined, but it is generally made with a higher ratio of sugar to almonds than almond paste[6][7]. One brand, for instance, has 28% almonds in its marzipan, and 45% almonds in its almond paste"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marzipan

(Personally I could never tell the difference between what was labeled 'Almond Paste' and what was labeled marzipan/marzapane)

You can get it from Sobeys (ask at the bakery section) as well as Pete's Frootique in Bedford. They just unpacked a container so have lots of new things, including suet and Cadbury's drinking choclate on the shelves.

I only ask because I have hardly ever seen "marzipan" (except for those yummy dutch chocolate coated marzipan treats ), but I've never have a problem finding almond paste, which I never knew existed until I came here.

If you ask for marzipan you might get the blank look, you might have more joy asking for almond paste,its generally in the large baking supplies section, alongside all the pots and tubes of premade icing (which you have to call frosting to be understood)

My guess is the stuff is here, you just have to ask for it by the canadian name.

I dont think the slight difference between the two will matter much, unless you have a very wierd shaped cake to ice and need the extra flexibility of marzipan to do it.

You can also try the Gingerbread Haus bakery at Queen and Fenwick. If I remember they make little shapes and figures out of marzipan during holiday seasons.

Good News

I now have 3 packs of almond paste courtesy of Pete's! it came in today which will explain why i couldnt find it on saturday in there!

Thanks for the recipes without raw eggs, much appreciated. best get icing!

Merry Xmas