Place them in the mortar, together with the selected aromatic essence; either a tablespoonful of vanilla sugar or a small glassful of liqueur; and add to them, little by little, working the while with the pestle, one lb. of sugar cooked to the [small-crack] stage.
With this generic recipe, the melting paste may be varied at will by an increase or decrease in the quantity of sugar.
[2387—PISTACHIOS]
These should belong to the pastry-cook’s stock, but, as a rule, they are only prepared just before being served. To skin them, proceed as in the case of almonds.
[2388—PISTACHIO PASTE FOR INFUSION]
As soon as the pistachios are skinned, washed, and dried, crush them in the mortar to a very smooth paste, which set in boiled milk, to infuse.
As the colour of pistachios is weak, it is strengthened in preparations containing them with a few drops of vegetable green, while its aroma is thrown into relief with a trifle of vanilla.
[2389—MELTING PISTACHIO PASTE]
Put seven oz. of pistachios and two oz. of almonds through the crusher; both should have been just skinned. Put the paste into the mortar; add to it two tablespoonfuls of syrup, strongly flavoured with vanilla, followed by eight oz. of sugar, cooked to the [small-crack] stage, and added to the paste little by little.
Transfer the paste to a marble slab, and finish it by combining three tablespoonfuls of icing sugar with it.