Frutti di Martorana

Instructions

1. Put 125 g of caster sugar, 40 ml of water and 1 tsp of liquid glucose in a small heavy saucepan. Stir once over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and boil to 121C on a sugar thermometer (soft-ball stage), brushing the sides of the pan with a wet brush to stop crystals forming. This takes about 5 minutes.
2. Take the pan off the heat, wait 10 seconds for the bubbling to subside, then tip in 125 g of blanched almond flour all at once along with 0.25 tsp of vanilla extract and 2 drops of bitter almond extract. Beat hard with a wooden spoon, then return to the lowest heat for 2-3 minutes, working the mass constantly until it pulls away from the sides in one smooth, glossy lump.
3. Scrape the paste onto a cold marble slab or work surface dusted with half of 1 tbsp of icing sugar. Let it cool for 2-3 minutes until you can handle it, then knead firmly for 5 minutes while still warm until it is silky, even and no longer sticky. Wrap in cling film and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.