ALMONDS FOR VARIOUS FOOD PRODUCTS 7 
Analyses were made of a number of samples of almond paste pur- 
chased in the open market, and the approximate composition of these 
pastes is given in Table 1. 
Table 1. — Approximate composition of almond pastes purchased in the open 
market 
Mois- 
ture 
Fat 
Free 
fatty 
acids n 
extracted 
fat 
1 
, Total 
reducing 
Reduc- sugar 
ing after 
sugar ' inversion 
(as 
1 dextrose) 
Sample 
Original 
sample 
Mo s- 
ture- 
free basis 
Ash 
No. 1 percent. 
No. 2 do.... 
No. 3 ...do.... 
No. 4 dc 
No. 5 do 
12.78 
16.53 
10.65 
14.30 
11.54 
30.50 
25.03 
33.02 
32.04 
27.08 
35. 40 2. 22 
29.14 9.40 
36. 56 ; . 81 
35.27 .98 
30.23 : 1.50 
- i 
3.13 37.2 
10.01 35.8 
3.13 i 35.6 
3. 54* 1 32. 6 
6. 44 34. 3 
1.024 
.652 
1.580 
1.680 
1.580 
A ver age 
13.16 
29.53 
33. 32 i 1. 38 
i 4. 06 i 35. 1 
I 
1.303 
1 Sample No. 2 was not included in this average, because it was exceptionally rancid and was apparently 
not a representative sample of such pastes as are generally found on the market. 
According to Table 1 commercial almond paste consists of ground 
blanched almond kernels, sugar, and water, the proportions of which 
differ somewhat in the 
several pastes ana- 
lyzed. The approxi- 
mate average composi- 
tion appears to be 
about 13 per cent 
water, 35 per cent su- 
gar, and the remainder 
ground almond kernels. 
Since the nuts them- 
selves contain about 5 
per cent of moisture, 
the actual quantities of 
ingredients as mixed 
would be approxi- 
mately 57 parts of 
blanched kernels, 35 
parts of sugar, and 10 
parts of added mois- 
ture, which is equiva- 
lent to 55.9, 34.3, and 
9.8 per cent, respec- 
tively. In examining 
the pastes used in these 
analyses, it was ob- 
served that sample No. 
3, which contained less 
moisture and more kernels than the average of all the samples, was the 
best, not only from the standpoint of appearance, taste, and quality 
of the macaroons made from it, but also from the standpoint of 
keeping qualities. 
Fig. 8.— Kettle for cooking almond paste. The bowl is made of 
copper, with scrapers to keep the paste scraped from the sides. It 
is iron jacketed and can be used for heating the paste with steam 
and subsequently for cooling it with cold water 
