r.

_Almond Cream._

Beat half a pound of fine almonds, blanched in cold water, very fine,
with orange-flower water. Take a quart of cream boiled, cooled, and
sweetened; put the almonds into it by degrees, and when they are well
mixed strain it through canvass, squeezing it very well. Then stir it
over the fire until it thickens; if you like it richly perfumed, add one
grain of ambergris, and if you wish to give it the ratafia flavour, beat
some apricot kernels with it.

_Unboiled Almond Cream._

Take half a pound of almonds; blanch them, and cut out all their spots:
then beat them very fine, in a clean stone or wooden mortar, with a
little rose-water, and mix them with one quart of sweet cream. Strain
them as long as you can get any out. Take as much fine sugar as will
sweeten it, a nutmeg cut into quarters, some large mace, three spoonfuls
of orange-flower water, as much rose-water, with musk or ambergris
dissolved in it; put all these things into a glass churn; shake them
continually up and down till the mass is as thick as butter; before it
is broken, pour it all into a clean dish; take out the nutmeg and the
mace; when it is settled smooth, scatter some comfits or scrape some
hard sugar upon it.

_Almond Paste, for Shapes, &c._

Blanch half a pound of almonds in cold water; let them lie twenty-four
hours in cold water, then beat them in a mortar, till they are very
fine, adding the whites of eggs as you beat them. Put them in a stewpan
over a stove fire, with half a pound of double-refined sugar, pounded
and sifted through a lawn sieve; stir it while over the fire, till it
becomes a little stiff; then take it out, and put it between two plates,
till it is cold. Put it in a pan, and keep it for use. It will keep a
great while in a cool place. When you use it, pound it a little in a
mortar, or mould it in your hands; then roll it out thin in whatever
shape you choose, or make it up into walnuts or other moulds; press it
down close that it may receive the impression of the nut, &c., and with
a pin take it out of the mould and turn it out upon copper sheets, and
so proceed till you have a sufficient quantity. The mould should be
lightly touched with oil. Bake them of a light brown; fill them with
sweetmeats, &c. and such as should be closed, as nuts, &c. cement
together with isinglass boiled down to a proper consistence.

_Almond Puffs._

Take one pound of fine sugar, and put water to it to make a wet