Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Ratafia (another way). — Blanch and bruise the kernels of 300 apricots, peaches, and nectarines ; put them into a clean stone jar with a pound of white sugar candy and half a pound of sweet and one ounce of blanched bitter almonds beaten in a stone mortar 's\'ith orange-flower water ; pour on them a gallon of French brandy ; cork the jar well, and seal it ; let it stand in a warm room two months, shaking it daily ; then store it for twelve months ; filter it perfectly clear through two or three thicknesses of muslin, and put into small bottles corked and sealed. — Eobinson . Ratafia, Angelica {see Angelica, Eatafia). Batafla, Anisette.— Bruise two ounces of green aniseed, one ounce of coriander-seed, two pennyweights of cinnamon, and quarter of a drachm of mace. Put these ingredients into a jar with two quarts of brandy ; add twelve ounces of sugar partially dissolved in a very little water ; let the whole infuse for a month, then filter through paper, and bottle it. Batafia, Apricot.— Ratafia of apricots is prepared in two ways— namely, either by boiling the apricots in white wine, adding to the liquor an equal quantity of brandy, with sugar, cinnamon, mace, and the kernels of apricots, infusing the whole for eight or ten days, then straining the liquor, and putting it up for use ; or by infusing the apricots, cut in pieces, in brandy for a day or two, passing it through a straining bag, and then putting in the usual ingredients. Batafia Biscuits. — Blanch and pound together to a smooth paste three ounces of sweet almonds and two ounces of bitter almonds, and add whilst pounding a dessertspoonful of brandy and the whites of two eggs beaten to a firm froth ; stir in half a pound of loaf sugar powdered and sifted, and beat the mixture till it is a firm smooth paste. Bake one or two little cakes to test the lightness of the paste, and if they are heavy add gradually the whites of one or two additional eggs. Lay the mixture on writing-paper in rounds the size of a halfpenny, and bake these on tins in a moderate oven till they are lightly browned. Take them from the paper as soon as cold. Some cooks add a spoonful of flour to the above preparation. Or, blanch and pound together to a smooth paste two ounces of sweet Jordan almonds and thi-ee-quarters of an ounce of bitter almonds. Add gradually the whites of two eggs beaten to a firm froth, half a pound of loaf sugar powdered and sifted, and half a tea-spoonful of orange-flower water: beat the mixture till it is a firm paste. Test the ratafias, beat in addition two whites of eggs if required, and bake as before in a moderate oven. Time to bake, twelve to fifteen minutes. Probable cost, Is. 6d. per pound. Batafia, Blackberry. — Take twenty pounds of blackberries, and mash them with the juice of twenty oranges and ten lemons. Pound in a mortar half a pound of bitter almonds, half an ounce of nutmeg, two pods of vanilla, an ounce of coriander-seeds, and four sticks of Jamaica pepper. Put this into the mash-pan with the fruit and a quart of syrup. Let the mass be put into a large well-corked stone bottle, and stand it near the fire for a fortnight. At the end of that time strain off the liquor, and to each quart add one of French brandy. Let it stand another fortnight. Then make it clear by running it as often as necessary through a jelly -bag, and bottle for use.