18^th Century: Ratafia Biscuits

These biscuits are a type of macaroon that were made with sweet and bitter almonds, now apricot kernels. They have the marzipan flavour also found in Amaretto, which is a ratafia liquor, hence the name ratafia biscuits. They were used in trifles, but also served as sweets at dinner parties and as an accompaniment to a syllabub. In Italy these biscuits are known as amaretti, also like the drink Amaretto.

Ratafia Biscuits

Take a pound of sweet almonds, and hal