Ingredients
For the almond balls
1/2 pound almonds, ground, without skin
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons of water
2 1/2 tablespoons Maraschino liqueur
peel of 1 small lemon (discarded)
For moistening the palms of one's hands
2 1/2 tablespoons Maraschino liqueur
2 1/2 tablespoons water
For coating the nougats
about 3/4 cup sugar
Directions
Grind the almonds.
Place 4 tablespoons of water in a pan.
Add the lemon peel to the water.
Heat up the water and add 1 cup of sugar, first bringing it to a boil, then lowering the heat.
Cook on very low heat until all the sugar is dissolved -- about 8 minutes.
Discard the lemon peel.
Add the ground almonds and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove the pan from the heat and add 2 1/2 tables of Maraschino liqueur, mixing vigorously, until the mixture looks and feels like a syrup.
Cool.
In another bowl mix 2 1/2 tablespoons Maraschino with 2 1/2 tablespoons of water. Use this mixture to moisten the palms of your hands.
Take a small piece of the almond-sugar-Maraschino mixture and using the moistened palms of your hands shape into a ball.
Roll the ball in sugar.
Place the ball in a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Repeat the process until all the almond-sugar-Maraschino mixture is used up.
Allow the balls to dry in the open air for about 6 hours.
Keep in airtight containers in the fridge till needed.
The almond balls or nougats can be served on a decorative platter in tiny paper cups or can be individually wrapped up as are candies.
Notes
This is a difficult recipe to get right, but the end result is quite flavorful. Comments and photo: Mary Melfi. | 
