Take a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and a quarter of a pound of
shelled bitter almonds. Blanch them in scalding water, mix them
together, and pound them, one or two at a time, in a mortar to a
very smooth paste; adding frequently a little rose water to
prevent them from oiling and becoming heavy. Prepare a pound of
powdered loaf-sugar. Beat the whites of seven eggs, to a stiff
froth, and then beat into it gradually the powdered sugar, adding
a table-spoonful of mixed spice, (nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon.)
Then mix in the pounded almonds, (which it is best to prepare the
day before,) and stir the whole very hard. Form the mixture with a
spoon into little round or oval cakes, upon sheets of buttered
white paper, and grate white sugar over each. Lay the paper in
square shallow pans, or on iron sheets, and bake the maccaroons a
few minutes in a brisk oven, till of a pale brown. When cold, take
them off the papers.
It will be well to try two or three first, and if you find them
likely to lose their shape and run info each other, you may omit
the papers and make the mixture up into little balls with your
hands well floured; baking them in shallow tin pans slightly
buttered.
You may make maccaroons with icing that is left from a cake.