In my search for the ratafia essence, I came across this recipe,
which I rather like because it includes orange flower water:

To make Ratafia-Cakes.

Take eight ounces of Apricock-kernels, or if they cannot be had,
Bitter-Almonds will do as well, blanch them, and beat them very
fine with a little Orange-flower-Water, mix them with the Whites
of three Eggs well beaten, and put to them two pounds of
single-refin’d Sugar finely beaten and sifted; work all together,
and ‘twill be like a Paste; then lay it in little round Bits on
Tin-plates flower’d, set them in an Oven that is not too hot, and
they will puff up and be soon baked.
Source: A Collection of above Three Hundred Receipts in
Cookery, Physick and Surgery; For the Use of all Good Wives,
Tender Mothers, and careful Nurses, By Several Hands. London:
Printed for Richard Wilkin, at the King’s Head in St. Paul’s
Church-yard, MDCCXIV [1714] p., 96.

Typed as it appears in the original--with the exception of what
looks like "f" has been changed to "s".


--
Jean B.