Almond Paste

Mix sugar and water in saucepan. Cook to the end of the soft ball stage, or 240. Add ground almonds, water and rose water Stir mixture well, and pour into a plastic food storage bag to store. If lumpy, you can knead it in the bag when it cools some. To store, drop plastic bag into 1 qt. Ziploc freezer bag, and seal well. Stores in refrigerator for a month or so, or can store in freezer indefinitely. It's best to make this a couple of weeks before you need to use it. See following recipe for use. Kirschkugeln Cherry Brandy Marzipan Balls Start with one bag of the almond paste. Get a good kneading surface (I have a large pastry board), and spread lots of powdered sugar. Begin kneading the almond paste on it, gradually working in the powdered sugar. Add 2 T. Kirschwasser (German cherry brandy) (or vanilla, rum flavoring, rose water, lemon juice, etc.), one at a time, continuing to knead it in, and adding more powdered sugar as needed. Knead until no longer sticky, feeling a bit like bread dough that has been kneaded well. You will use about a pound of powdered sugar per batch. Roll into balls about the size of a hazelnut. Melt Baker's semi-sweet chocolate squares, beginning with 5 squares, until smooth, either in a double boiler, or in the microwave. Remove from heat, and add three more squares, allowing to melt. This tempers the chocolate, and brings it to a good dipping temperature. Repeat the process when you run low, but don't let yourself run all the way to the bottom of the bowl, as it causes streaks in the chocolate. I like to keep my chocolate bowl sitting over hot water in the bottom of the double boiler, to keep it from cooling too fast. Dip the balls, and place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheets. Do not let them sit with direct sun on the candies, or in a warm place like the top of the refrigerator. When finished with a pan, allow to dry in the coolest room in the house. When dry, place candies in paper petit-fours cups, and store in a tightly closed tin, in a cool place (warmth will separate the chocolate, turning it white--its fine to eat, but doesn't look so pretty!) Stores best in the freezer for long term, or in the refrigerator for short term. Makes about 110 balls.