Vegan Almond Paste

1 . Stage

Place almonds in the bowl of a food processor; process to a meal-like consistency, scraping down the sides and over the bottom of the bowl as needed. Don't overprocess it--at this point, the mixture should still be crumbly, not paste-like.

2 . Stage

Combine 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. Start checking the temperature with a candy thermometer every minute or so, and 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 the syrup, otherwise it will harden when cool.

3 . Stage

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

4 . Stage

Remove from the heat. When cool enough to handle, use it right away, or wrap it in waxed paper and store in an airtight container to use within a few weeks. Or, place the wrapped almond paste in a freezer bag and freeze for up to six months.