Ratafia


Ratafia is a term used for two types of sweet alcoholic beverages and a flavouring essence whose taste resembles bitter almonds and later to a ratafia flavoured biscuit or a biscuit to be eaten along with ratafia, and later still to a cherry variety.
Oxford English Dictionary earliest date of use: 1699.

Liqueur

The first type of alcoholic beverage is a liqueur or cordial
flavoured with fruits or kernels, usually almond, or the kernels of peach, apricot or cherry. Ratafias were distinctive as the alcohol was not distilled, the flavouring ingredients being merely infused in it Ratafia may be flavored with lemon peel and spices in various amounts, typically combined with sugar. Other flavorings can be used, such as vegetables and fresh herbs. The liqueur is typical of the Mediterranean areas of Spain, Italy, and north-east of France. In the south-central region of Italy Ratafià is made exclusively with fresh cherries and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wines.

Fortified wine

The second type, Ratafia fortified wine, is a type of mistelle, a mixture of marc and the unfermented juice of the grape, and is the type produced in France. There are very few producers of Ratafia fortified wine. The fortified wine, one of which is made today in New Mexico by producer D.H. Lescombes, uses Moscato grapes fortified with brandy to stop the fermentation early, which keeps the residual sugar high. The resulting wine is rich and sweet.

Biscuit

"a small macaroon flavoured with almonds"
− Collins English Dictionary

Ratafia Biscuits are made with ratafia essence, sweet almonds, apricot kernels, rosewater, egg white, sugar. Originally made with sweet and bitter almonds, now apricot kernels. Amaretto is a ratafia liquor, thus the ratafia biscuits.
In The Compleat Housewife, Eliza Smith included a recipe for To make Ratafia Bisket, with the ingredients: bitter almonds, sugar and egg white, making it a confection that is very similar to a modern macaroon.

Other Uses

Ratafia essence was suggested in a BBC recipe in their 1940 publication, Food Facts For The Kitchen Front, for making mock marzipan, along with soya flour, margarine and sugar.