Pasta di Mandorle (Sweet Almond Paste)

I was very unhappy with the cost and the quality of the almond paste available for sale. Whole almonds however are available at a reasonable cost. I blanched the almonds according to the instructions in this book (excellent method) and made this almond paste. It was a little softer and moister than the tinned variety but it came together beautifully and tasted wonderful. Now I look forward to using it in lots of recipes.