What is Difference-Almond "Paste" & "Filling"?

 I think that almond filling is usually made out of almond paste, if home made...wait, let me check something...

Yes, I was right...here's one I found online:

Almond Filling

Ingredients:

3 1/2 ounces almond paste

1/2 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

Combine almond paste, sugar, and butter in a small sauce pan, stirring constantly over medium heat until smooth. Stir in sliced almonds.

hmmm, I wonder...does it need to be heated to mix it....

I'm going to go do a little more research on this one. It seems there's something called SOLO ALMOND FILLING in cans. We don't have canned almond filling in our grocery stores.  

ViolaB 

wow, your doing a pretty good job....

I could not find anykind of "Almond Filling" at our store, in fact, the store manager just looked at me funny when I asked...

I wrote the company (Odense) for the "Almond Paste" we have at our store. Here is what they said.....

 Dear Richard,

Almond filling is made by Solo and is a completely different product from almond paste.  Its almond paste mixed with sugar and other ingredients. Almond filling is usually found in the baking aisle near the almond paste.

We make a filling for crescent rolls but I cannot tell you it has the same ingredients as the Almond Filling your recipe calls for, or that it would work in your recipe.

To review our almond filling it click on http://www.odense.com/recipes/orr.cfm?recipeid=42

I hope this is helpful.

Pam Simmons

ok, then you have this site which has too much info, what do I do, what do I do......oh no!  lol

http://www.recipelink.com/clippings/Desserts/4445.html

rick

From "The Complete Book of Pastry" by Bernard Clayton:

"Almond paste is made primarily with blanched
almonds and should not be cloyingly sweet or overpungent. It should only
subtly hint of almonds.

A pure almond paste, called SOLO, is on many
market shelves in 1/2-lb. cans. It is a solid and must be cut into pieces
and thinned with egg whites and sugar before use. Almond paste is
sometimes referred to as marzipan paste."

ALMOND PASTE - Clayton

1 1/2 cups whole blanched almonds
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 egg white (I'd probably use Just Whites
powder for safety)
1 t. almond extract
1/4 t. salt

Grind the almonds, a portion at a time, in an
electric blender or food chopper, using the fine blade (Janet: I'd use the
food processor). Combine with sugar, egg white, extract and salt. Work to
a stiff paste. Refrigerate or freeze in and airtight container or plastic
bag.

makes 1 1/3 cups, about 1 pound


ALMOND FILLING - Clayton

1 pound almonds (blanched or not, your choice)
2 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs, room temperature

Grind nuts in a food processor to the consistency
of corn meal. Place in a medium bown and mix with
sugar. Form a well in the center and drop in eggs.
Stir eggs lightly, then draw in the nut-sugar
mixture to form a paste. If it is difficult to
spread without pulling on the pastry, add another
egg to moisten.

Store in the refrigerator or freeze until needed.
Before using, however, bring to room temperature
and stir to soften.

makes 3 cups



ALMOND PASTE FILLING - Clayton

1 pound almond paste
1 pound butter, room temperature
1/4 t. vanilla extract

If almond paste or marzipan is hard and solid
in its container, break into small pieces
before blending it (in blender or food processor) with butter and vanilla.
Store in
a plastic container in the refrigerator or freeze until needed.

makes 3 1/2 cups


FRANGIPANE FILLING - Clayton

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup almond paste or marzipan
2 eggs, beaten
1 t. lemon rind, grated or finely chopped
2 t. flour

Cream butter. Stir in almond paste or marzipan, a small portion at a time. Add
beaten eggs. Blend until smooth. Stir in
lemon rind and flour. When mixture is smooth, store in the refrigerator or
freeze until needed.


FRANGIPANE from Cooking Live

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into bits and softened
1/4 cup sugar + 2 teaspoons
1 large egg
1 cup blanched almonds, ground
1 teaspoon vanilla


FRANGIPANE FILLING from a tart a friend made that was MARVELOUS!

6 T. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
3/4 c. blanched almonds, finely ground
1 t. almond extract
1 T. Amaretto
1 T. flour

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, almonds, extract, Amaretto and flour.

Spread this on a tart shell (pate brisee), bake at 375 F for 20 min., cool
and decorate with fruit and melted jam as glaze.


Hazelnut Frangipane

2/3 cup toasted filberts
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, soft
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons flour

Combine the nuts and confectioner's sugar in
a food processor and process to a fine powder, about 30 seconds. In the
bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the nut
powder and mix thoroughly, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Add the
egg in three parts, beating after each addition on medium high speed,
until very light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract. On low speed, mix
in the flour just until incorporated.

from Pate Sable/Hazelnut Frangipane, desserts 1

From: Viviane & Israel Barzel
To: jewish-food@eskimo.com
Subject: Bulgarian Marzipan (massapan) Parve
Date: Tuesday, February 25, 1997 6:01 PM
Another "specialite" from my grand-mother Venoutcha COVO

1pound almonds
1-2 bitter almonds( if you can find any)
4 cups sugar
2 cups water
Soak the almonds 10-15 minutes in boiling water, remove peels
and place to dry.
1 day later,grind the almonds in a blender,until thin, be carefull not to reach the oily stage.
Keep 7-8 almonds for decoration.
Melt the sugar in the water, on high flame about 15 minutes.
Cool slightly and add the almond powder by stiring well.
Form small balls (wet your hands in 4 tsp fresh lemon juice + 4 to 5 tsp
of water).
 Insert half almond in each massapan and place in paper cases.