Almonds

To blanch whole almonds, place in boiling water for about 1 minute.  Drain and place in ice water to stop further cooking of the almonds.   Peel the skin off with your fingers.  Bake them in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until almonds are dry, but have no color.

Bitter almonds are illegal in the United States.  They have a stronger flavor than the sweet almonds but also contain prussic acid, which is toxic when raw.  The acid's toxicity is destroyed when the almonds are processed.   Bitter almonds are mainly used in extracts and flavorings.  They are prized in Europe and sometimes a little is added to almond meal and marzipan to intensify the almond flavor.

Almonds are used to make almond paste and marzipan.   Almond paste is a combination of equal parts ground blanched almonds and sugar, mixed with glucose, corn syrup or egg whites. It is pliable with a sweet almond flavor and grainy texture.  Sold in cans or tubes, I recommend using the can variety as it has a superior taste.  Almond paste is used in pastry making and confectionery to cover cakes and pastries, as well as forming into different shapes and figures.

Marzipan, on the other hand, is a cooked mixture of finely ground almonds, sugar, and water.  Slightly sweeter with a smoother texture, it is firmer than almond paste but is still pliable.  It can be colored and rolled out to cover cakes and pastries, or formed into shapes.  It comes in plastic- wrapped rolls.