Almond Paste

Almond Paste is a smooth, sweet candy paste that is used to make marzipan and other candies. You will need blanched almonds for this recipe, which are almonds without the papery brown skin. You can buy blanched almonds, or you can easily remove the skins yourself, following the instructions on this page. You will also need a food processor or heavy-duty blender to get the proper texture.

Yield: 1.5 lbs

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw almonds, blanched
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Place the raw blanched almonds in the bowl of the food processor and process them until they are a very, very fine powder. Stop periodically and scrape the sides of the bowl. Watch the nuts carefully, as you do not want them turning into almond butter. Once the almonds are a fine powder, turn the processor off but leave them in the bowl.

2. In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then wash the sides with a wet pastry brush to remove sugar crystals.

3. Once the sugar syrup comes to a boil, begin timing it and let it boil for three and a half minutes.

4. After 3.5 minutes, remove the syrup from the stove and pour it into a large measuring cup with a spout. Turn the food processor on and carefully pour the syrup into the nuts in a slow stream. Continue to run the processor until all of the syrup has been poured in and is incorporated.

5. Once it is blended, stop the processor and remove the almond paste. Wrap it tightly in saran wrap and store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days to cure before using.

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