This section is from the book "The Epicurean", by Charles Ranhofer. Also available from Amazon: The Epicurean, a Complete Treatise of Analytical and Practical Studies on the Culinary Art.
Take one pound of peeled and well dried almonds; one pound of powdered sugar, and five whites of eggs. Pound the almonds and the sugar, either in a machine or mortar, and when well reduced to a powder, pass it forcibly through a twelve mesh sieve (Fig. 96); return it to the mortar, and mix in with the almonds the five egg-whites little by little, so as to make a paste, which can be now beaten and worked until a good body is obtained, having it as fine as possible.
Shell and skin one pound of almonds; pound them with half a pound of powdered sugar and a little water to make into a very fine paste, the same consistency as a macaroon paste, Cook three pounds of sugar to small crack, and as soon as ready pour it in small strings on to the paste, stirring constantly with a spatula and leave stand till cold. When this paste is thoroughly cooled off, return it to the mortar and pound it once more with liquors or vanilla syrup, to have it obtain a body and make it into a tine paste, then put it in a stone jar and leave it in a cool place.
Have one pound of shelled filberts pounded to a pulp with a pound of powdered sugar and a gill of water; lay this paste in a basin. Cook in a copper pan two pounds and a half of sugar to small crack, pour it slowly over the paste mixing it so that it mingles in well, then leave to cool and pound again, stirring in half a gill of liquor, either kirsch, maraschino or any other. Color the paste green or pink according to taste.
Have one pound of almonds, one pound of sugar, and eight egg-yolks; pound or mash the almonds in a machine with the sugar so as to reduce them to a fine powder, then strain through a twelve mesh sieve (Fig. 96), put them into the mortar, and mix in well the yolks adding them little by little; pound all up together so as to obtain a very fine paste, having it quite thick.
Put three ounces of gum tragacanth to steep in two gills of water for twenty-four hours, then strain forcibly through a piece of linen. Pour this gum on a marble slab and work with the hand to have it acquire a body, incorporating in slowly two pounds of icing sugar, then add one pound of pounded almonds and the juice of a lemon strained through a sieve; beat the paste well and pour it into a vessel or stone- pot; closing hermetically; keep in a very cool place to use when needed. This paste may be colored red, green, orange or any other color.
Have three quarters of a pound of almonds, half a pound of pistachio nuts, a pound and a half of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of orange flower-water and five egg-whites. Peel the almonds and pistachio nuts; dry and pound them with the sugar, egg-whites and orange flower-water till they become a fine paste, then add to it a little vegetable green, so as to give it a soft, green color.
 
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