The confectioner's and pastry-cook's guide, or, Confectionery made easy ...

Pound your almonds quite fine in a mortar, with the white of an egg or two, to prevent them from oiling; then add the sugar, and beat all into a stiff paste ; stir in the remainder of the whites gradually, till the mixture is sufficiently soft to drop off the knife freely, without imparting the impression of the knife across it. Try them as before directed. Some use only two pounds of sugar to a pound of almonds ; others, two pounds and a quarter, or two pounds and a half. MACAROONS. One pound of sweet almonds, one pound and a quarter to one pound and three quarters of sugar, two table-spoonfuls of orange-flower water, and the whites of eight or ten eggs. Mix and bake them the same as you would Almond Cakes. Use the orange-flower water in pounding your almonds. Omit the pieces of almond on the top, and drop them in an oval form on iron sheets covered' with water paper. Wet the edges of your wafer paper, to join it together. RATAFIAS. Half a pound of sweet almonds, half a pound of bitter almonds, two pounds of sugar, the whites of ten or twelve eggs. Mix as for Almond Cakes. Drop them on white brown paper, half the size of a nutmeg; see they are about an inch apart. Bake on iron sheets, in a slow oven. When cold they can be taken from the paper. YORK DROPS. Blanch and dry half a pound of sweet almonds, bruise them fine in a mortar, as directed for Macaroons • add the whites of three eggs, and pound them also well with the almonds ; add one pound of powdered loaf sugar and the whites of four more eggs; when well mixed' drop it on paper in drops about the size of a pea, put them on iron or tin plates, and bake them in a warm oven: when cold, take them off the paper. ALMOND ROUT CAKES. One pound of sweet almonds, one pound of loaf sugar. Beat the almonds and sugar quite fine, and make it into a moderate stiff paste with the yolks of eggs. Make them into any shape your fancy may dictate. Use finely powdered loaf sugar to dust your board or blocks; in making them, place them on clean tins that are slightly buttered, so as not to touch each other, or lay a sheet of whited brown paper on the tin, to put them on, and dust it with loaf sugar. Let them remain in a warm place all night, or a day and a night, before they are baked. Put them in a brisk oven; when lightly coloured over, they are done. Ornament them with nonpariels, candied peel, drops and comfits, when making them, while the paste is moist, or after they are baked. Make a mucilage of gumarabic, and lay it, with a small brush, over the parts where you wish the nonpariels to adhere, and otherwise ornament them with piping. If you wish to cut your paste out of blocks, put it in a stewpan over the fire; keep stirring it with a spoon or spaddle; stir it well from the bottom. When you find the paste does not stick to the sides of the pan and come all together, it is done. Let it get cold before you cut it out. When they are made in this way, the impression shows much better. ALMOND ROCKS. One pound of sweet almonds, two pounds of loaf cugar, a pound and a half of sweet almonds cut in alioeu.