Sometimes if your almond paste it a bit hard from the start, you should mix that alone in the kitchen aid to break it up and get it soft again. Almond paste (in my opinion) when bought in the supermarket has a tendency to be well.....crappy. Because not a lot of people ever buy it. So it sits there for a long time and will dry out and get hard, not soft creamy like mine. *I do not recommend mixing this recipe with a hand blender. It is a very stiff dough and may stress your machine. The Kitchen Aid Mixer is really sturdy and durable for this tough large quantity of dough.