Banketstaaf (Dutch Almond Pastry Log)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Food processor or almond grinder
• •Baking tray
• •Parchment paper
• •Pastry brush
• •Sharp small knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the spijs

   Grind the almonds and sugar together in a food processor until the mixture is fine but not oily. Add the lemon zest, half the beaten egg, and the almond extract if using, then pulse until it comes together as a thick paste. It should hold when pressed, but still look faintly grainy; that little texture is the difference between proper amandelspijs and sweet putty.

   If you can, make the spijs the day before and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Rest is not ceremony here; it lets the almond, sugar, egg, and lemon become one filling.
2. 2

   Shape the filling

   Turn the almond paste onto a board and roll it into a log about 32 centimetres long. If it sticks, dust your hands with a little flour rather than adding more sugar. The filling should be firm enough to lift in one piece and soft enough to press without cracking.

3. 3

   Wrap the pastry

   Heat the oven to 200C. Roll the puff pastry lightly on a floured surface into a rectangle wide enough to wrap around the almond log with a small overlap. Lay the spijs along one long side, brush the far edge with a little beaten egg, and roll the pastry around the filling. Press the seam closed and place the log seam-side down on a lined baking tray. The seam underneath is not vanity; it keeps the pastry from opening like a badly kept secret.

4. 4

   Brush and score

   Brush the top and sides with the remaining beaten egg. Make three or four shallow diagonal cuts across the top with a sharp knife, cutting only the surface so the pastry can expand neatly. Scatter with sliced almonds if you like. Keep your cuts light; if you reach the filling, the spijs will try to escape, and it usually succeeds.

5. 5

   Bake until golden

   Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pastry is puffed, deeply golden, and crisp at the edges, with a little almond filling just visible at the ends. If the top browns too quickly, lower the oven to 180C for the last few minutes. The underside should be baked through, not pale and soft; lift one end gently with a spatula and check before you call it done.

6. 6

   Glaze and slice

   If you want the bakery shine, brush the hot pastry lightly with warmed apricot jam. Let the banketstaaf rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing, because the almond paste sets as it cools and gives you clean pieces. Serve in thick slices with coffee, tea, or a small glass of something stronger after the poems are read.

Chef Tips

• •Use all-butter puff pastry. Margarine pastry will puff, yes, but it lacks the butter scent that makes banketstaaf feel like December has entered the kitchen.
• •Do not replace amandelspijs with ready-to-roll marzipan. Marzipan is too fine and sweet for this job; spijs should be moist, almond-heavy, and made to be baked.
• •If your almond paste feels dry after resting, knead in a teaspoon or two of beaten egg. If it feels loose, chill it until firm before wrapping.
• •A thin apricot glaze is common in bakeries, but not compulsory at home. I like it for shine, not sweetness, so brush lightly.
• •Serve the slices small. Banketstaaf is rich, and Dutch holiday hospitality has always understood that the second slice should be the guest's idea.

Advance Preparation

• •The amandelspijs can be made 1 to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator; the flavour improves as it rests.
• •The shaped, unbaked log can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours before baking. Brush with egg just before it goes into the oven.
• •Best eaten the day it is baked. Leftovers keep 2 days in an airtight tin and can be refreshed briefly in a moderate oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 70g)