To Preserve Green Almonds
Take the Almonds when pretty well grown, and make a Lye with Wood or Charcoal-Ashes, and Water; boil the Lye till it feels very smooth, strain it through a Sieve and let it settle till clear, then pour off the Clear into another Pan, then set it on the Fire in order to blanch off the Down that is on the Almonds, which you must do in this Manner, viz. when the Lye is scalding hot throw in two or three Almonds, and try, when they have been in some Time, if they will blanch; if they will, put in the rest, and the Moment you find their Skins will come off, remove them from the Fire, and put them into cold Water, and blanch them one by one rubbing them with Salt, the better to clean them; when you have so done, wash them in several Waters, the better to clean them, in short, till you see no Soil in the Water; when you have so done, throw them into boiling Water, and let them boil till very tender, till a Pin will very easily pass through them; then drain them, and put them into clarified Sugar without Water, they being green enough, do not require a thin Sugar to bring them to a Colour, but, on the contrary, if too much heated, they will become too dark a Green; the next Day boil the Syrup, and put it on them; the Day after boil it till it becomes very smooth; the Day following give all a Boil together, scum them, and let them rest four or five Days; then, if you will dry them or put them in Jelly, you must follow the Directions as for green Apricots, p. 24.
Note, If you will have a Compose of either, it is but serving them to Table when they are first entered, by boiling the Sugar a little more.