Ratafia Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Line a cookie sheet with brown paper (as from grocery bags).
• Pound or grind the almonds as fine as possible.
• Gradually add the sugar, egg whites, rose water and almond extract, beating until it becomes a thick paste.
• Using a teaspoon dipped in ice water, drop little mounds of the mixture on the brown paper.
• They will spread while baking, so place them about 2 inches apart.
• Bake 20-22 minutes, or until puffy and delicately browned.
• Remove the paper, biscuits and all, from the cookie sheet.
• Let it cool for a few seconds while you wring out a cloth in cold water.
• Lay the cloth out flat, and place the sheet of biscuits on top of it.
• After a few minutes the paper will release its hold, and you can lift the biscuits off to cool on a rack.
• Repeat the process (with fresh pieces of brown paper) until you have used all the batter.

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a large glass jar and stir to dissolve sugar.
• Refrigerate 3 to 4 weeks. Strain through a sieve lined with a cheesecloth, pressing down gently on solids.
• Using a funnel, pour ratafia into clean wine bottles and cork tightly.
• Store in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter the base and sides of a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin and line with baking parchment.
• Put the butter, sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Break in the eggs, add the almond essence, if using, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Set aside a quarter of the mixture, then stir the chopped apricots and 25g of the biscuits into the remainder. Spoon into the tin and lightly smooth with the back of the spoon. Bake for 25 mins until the cake is almost set. Meanwhile, stir the apricot halves, remaining biscuits and flaked almonds into the reserved cake mixture until well mixed. Quickly dot the extra cake mixture onto the part-baked cake, then return to the oven for 20 mins more or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.