This section is from the book "The Complete Cook", by J. M. Sanderson. Also available from Amazon: The Complete Cook.
One pound of sweet almonds, four ounces of bitter ones, one pint and a half of water, sugar three pounds, orange-flower water two ounces.
Blanch the almonds, and as they are blanched throw them into cold water; when they are finished, take them out and pound them in a marble mortar, sprinkling them with a little orange-flower water to prevent their oiling, or use water with the juice of a lemon; add sufficient in the pounding to reduce them to a paste, and when quite fine add half a pint more water; mix, and strain through a tami9 cloth twisted tight by two persons: receive the milk which comes from the almonds into a basin; what is left in the cloth must be pounded again with some of the water, and strained. Continue this until the whole of the milk is obtained, and the water, is consumed; then clarify, and boil the sugar to the crack; add the milk of almonds, and reduce it to the pearl; then strain it again, add the orange-flower water, and stir it well until nearly cold; when cold, bottle; shake the bottles well for several succeeding days, if you see it at all inclined to separate, which will prevent it.
Sirop de Pistache is made in the same manner, colouring it green with a little spinach.
 
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