Banket (bahn-KET) is a type of sweet

pastry Pastry refers to a variety of Dough, doughs (often enriched with fat or eggs), as well as the sweet and savoury Baking, baked goods made from them. The dough may be accordingly called pastry dough for clarity. Sweetened pastries are often descr ...

filled with almond

paste Paste is a term for any very thick viscous fluid. It may refer to: Science and technology * Adhesive or paste ** Wallpaper paste ** Wheatpaste, a liquid adhesive made from vegetable starch and water * Paste (rheology), a substance that behaves as ...

, which originated in the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

. It is made in several forms, each of which goes by various names. One variety consists of long bars or loaves which are sliced into individual servings – also referred to in English as almond rolls or almond patties, and in Dutch as '. Another variety are rolled logs shaped into letters – also referred to in English as

Dutch letter The Dutch letter (also referred to as banket letter, almond letter, butter letter, and in Dutch as ''banketstaaf'', ''banketletter'', ''boterletter'', and ''letterbanket'') is a type of pastry that is typically prepared using a mixture of flo ...

s, banket letters, almond letters, or butter letters; and in

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

as ' or '. It is sometimes made as individual banket or almond patties. Banket is made by rolling

pastry dough Pastry refers to a variety of doughs (often enriched with fat or eggs), as well as the sweet and savoury baked goods made from them. The dough may be accordingly called pastry dough for clarity. Sweetened pastries are often described as '' bak ...

around an

almond paste Almond paste is made from ground almonds or almond meal and sugar in equal quantities, with small amounts of cooking oil, eggs, heavy cream or corn syrup added as a binder. It is similar to marzipan, with a coarser texture. Almond paste is used a ...

filling, then baking it. The pastry has a porous, airy, and flaky texture, with a dense granular filling. In the Netherlands and in

ethnic Dutch The Dutch, or Netherlanders (Dutch language, Dutch: ) are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common ancestry and culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities wor ...

communities in the

Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

, it is most popular during

Christmas season The Christmas season or the festive season, also known as the holiday season or the holidays, is an annual period generally spanning from November or December to early January. Incorporating Christmas Day and New Year's Day, the various celebrat ...

. It is also popular during Dutch festivals in the United States.

Ingredients and preparation

Banket is typically prepared using a mixture of flour, eggs, and butter, or

puff pastry Puff pastry, also known as , is a light, flaky pastry, its base dough () composed of wheat flour and water. Butter or other solid fat () is then layered into the dough. The dough is repeatedly rolled and folded, rested, re-rolled and folded, encas ...

as its base, then filled with almond paste, and dusted with sugar.

Marzipan Marzipan is a confectionery, confection consisting primarily of sugar and almond meal (ground almonds), sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract. It is often made into Confectionery, sweets; common uses are chocolate-covered marzipan and ...

, an almond paste prepared with

almond meal Almond meal, almond flour or ground almond is made from ground sweet almonds. Almond flour is usually made with blanched almonds (no skin), whereas almond meal can be made with whole or blanched almonds. The consistency is more like corn meal t ...

and honey or sugar, is sometimes used as the filling. Although usually prepared and sold fresh, it can also be packaged for retail sale. In one popular form, banket is rolled or folded into a log a foot or two long, baked, then cut into short lengths for serving, hot or cold. It can also be frozen for serving later. It is sometimes prepared as a cookie. The "Dutch letter" is rolled and shaped into a letter. Traditionally, the pastry was shaped into the initial of the family's surname, but today is most commonly shaped as the letter ''S''.

History

Netherlands

In the

''banketletter'' are traditionally eaten on ''

Sinterklaas Sinterklaas () or Sint-Nicolaas () is a legendary figure based on Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children. Other Dutch names for the figure include ''De Sint'' ("The Saint"), ''De Goede Sint'' ("The Good Saint") and ''De Goedheiligman'' (derive ...

avond'' on December 5.

United States

Banket was introduced in the United States by Dutch immigrants, in

Pella, Iowa Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States, with a population of 10,464 at the time of the 2020 U.S. Census. Founded by immigrants from the Netherlands, it is forty miles southeast of Des Moines. Pella is the home of Central Colleg ...

Orange City, Iowa Orange City is a city in, and the county seat of, Sioux County, Iowa, United States. Its population was 6,267 in the 2020 census, an increase from 5,582 in 2000. Named after William of Orange, the community maintains its Dutch settler traditio ...

, and

Holland, Michigan Holland is a city in Ottawa County, Michigan, Ottawa and Allegan County, Michigan, Allegan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located in the West Michigan, western region of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Lower Peninsula, the city is si ...

, each founded in the 1800s by "Dutch religious refugees". Dutch letters are a common treat at the annual Tulip Festival in Pella, and may be prepared by local residents and sold at local churches.

Ingredients and preparation

History

Netherlands

United States

See also

References

Further reading