Fabienne used to make these colourful treats with her mother and many of us may also remember making marzipan fruits as children. Marzipan is surprisingly simple to make and turning it into a platter of these jewel-like fruit and nut-filled treats would add a delicious note to your Tu Bishvat celebration.

Method:

• Make the the marzipan: mix the ground almonds, icing sugar, egg whites and orange zest in a bowl to make a soft paste.
• Separate the almond paste into three balls. If you are using the food colouring – and it really does look pretty — add the pink (or whatever colour you are using) to one ball and green to the second. Leave one natural.
• To assemble the stuffed fruits: for the date: roll the marzipan into mini cylinders; for the walnuts, roll the paste into little balls and sandwich them between two whole walnuts; and for the apricot and prunes roll either cylinders or balls depending on the shape of your fruits.
• Arrange them on a platter or use to fill little gift bags as lovely Tu Bishvat gifts.