Vegan Almond Paste

1. Place almonds in a food processor. Process to meal-like consistency, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Don't overprocess—mixture should still be crumbly, not paste-like.

2. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. Start checking temperature with a candy thermometer every minute or so. Continue to cook until it reaches 240 degrees F (115 degrees C) and is a medium-thick syrup, about 6 to 8 minutes longer. Don't overcook syrup, otherwise it will harden when cool.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in almonds and almond extract. Return to the heat and cook, stirring with a spatula and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan to prevent scorching until almond paste just holds together, 30 to 60 seconds. Do not cook for too long, or it will caramelize.

4. Remove from the heat and use when cool enough to handle. To refrigerate, wrap in waxed paper in an airtight container and use within a few weeks. To freeze, place wrapped almond paste in a freezer bag and freeze for up to six months.

Cook's Note:

It's important to note that almond paste requires whole almonds. Using almond meal or almond flour won't give you the same slightly coarse texture.