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1
Grind the blanched almonds, candied melon, and candied orange peel together in a food processor, working in long pulses, until the mixture forms a very fine, completely smooth paste with no perceptible grain. The paste is ready when a pinch pressed between two fingers leaves a clean, silky surface — any roughness means more grinding is required.
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2
Combine the caster sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the syrup reaches exactly 118 °C (soft-ball stage). This is where the dish lives or dies: syrup cooked short of 118 °C will produce a paste too soft to hold its shape; syrup taken beyond it will make the paste sandy and stiff.
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3
With the processor running, pour the hot syrup in a steady stream over the almond-fruit paste. Add the orange flower water. Process until the mixture is fully incorporated and pulls together into a cohesive, pliable paste. It should feel warm, smooth, and slightly tacky to the touch.
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4
Lay the sheets of pain d'azyme on a flat work surface. Turn the warm paste out onto one sheet and, using an offset spatula or rolling pin, spread and press it to an even thickness of exactly 1 cm across the entire surface. The paste is spread correctly when a straight edge laid across it touches uniformly at every point.
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5
Allow the paste to cool and firm at room temperature until it is firm enough to resist a light finger-press without deforming — this may take one to two hours. Using a diamond or navette cutter, cut the sheet into the traditional shuttle shapes, working cleanly through the paste and wafer paper in a single downward press. The cut edge should be clean and vertical, with the wafer paper intact beneath each piece.
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6
Prepare the royal icing: whisk the egg white and sifted icing sugar together until the mixture is smooth, brilliant white, and holds a slow-falling ribbon. It should coat the back of a spoon in a thin, even film — too thick and it will overwhelm the paste beneath.
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7
Working one calisson at a time, apply a thin, even coat of royal icing to the top surface only, using a small palette knife or the back of a spoon. The icing should reach to, but not spill over, the edges. Place the iced calissons on a baking tray and dry in an oven set to 100 °C for 5 minutes. The icing is set when it is matte-white, smooth, and no longer tacky under a fingertip — it must not be allowed to crack.