Dutch Almond Paste-Filled Pastry Log (Banketstaaf)

By
Karin Engelbrecht
Karin Engelbrecht
Magazine editor, restaurant reviewer, and food writer who focuses on Dutch cuisine.
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Updated on 02/2/22
Dutch Almond Paste-Filled Pastry Log (Banketstaaf) Recipe

 The Spruce
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
456 Calories
25g Fat
52g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 456
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 33%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 23mg 8%
Sodium 109mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 52g 19%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 30g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 73mg 6%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 154mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The banketstaaf, with its flaky pastry exterior and center of amandelspijs (almond paste), is pretty much as traditional as it gets for Dutch Christmas. The best part? It's not only good to eat, but incredibly easy to make if you use good-quality store-bought puff pastry and the best spijs you can get your hands on. You can, of course, also buy the spijs in a store, but it's quite easy to make from scratch, so we usually do.

Ingredients

  • 300 grams (about 1 1/3 cups) almond paste, preferably Dutch (amandelspijs)

  • 300 grams (about 10 1/2 ounces) ready-rolled puff pastry

  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • 2 tablespoons apricot jam

  • 1 cup unsifted confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients and preheat the oven to 437 F / 225 C.

    Dutch Almond Paste-Filled Pastry Log (Banketstaaf) Recipe ingredients
     The Spruce

  2. Cut the ready-rolled puff pastry into a strip of approximately 4 1/2 x 15 inches (12 x 40 centimeters).

    puff pastry dough
    The Spruce

  3. Roll the Dutch almond paste into a log that is 1.1 inches (3 centimeters) shorter lengthways than the pastry.

    puff pastry rolled into log
    The Spruce

  4. Place on the pastry. Wet the edges of the pastry with a pastry brush dipped in water.

    pastry brush and pastry dough
    The Spruce

  5. Fold in the short ends first and then fold over long bits and press at the seams.

    pastry log end folded
    The Spruce

  6. Carefully flip the pastry over so that the seam is at the bottom. Brush with the beaten egg.

    pastry brush brushing beaten egg on seam
    The Spruce

  7. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the pastry turns golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack.

    Dutch Almond Paste-Filled Pastry Log (Banketstaaf) Recipe
    The Spruce

  8. Heat the apricot jam in a microwave-safe container for a few seconds, so that it melts a little. Brush the still-warm banketstaaf with the apricot jam.

    Dutch Almond Paste-Filled Pastry Log (Banketstaaf) with jam
    The Spruce

  9. Dust with confectioners' sugar. 

    Dutch Almond Paste-Filled Pastry Log (Banketstaaf) with powdered sugar
    The Spruce

  10. Serve sliced with freshly brewed coffee.

    Sliced Dutch Almond Paste-Filled Pastry Log (Banketstaaf)
    The Spruce

Tips

  • If you don't want to make your own almond paste, you can buy ready-made almond paste in most Dutch supermarkets, or online.
  • To achieve that authentic old-fashioned look, decorate the banketstaaf with red glace cherries and/or toasted almonds slivers. Simply toast the almonds in a dry frying pan until they turn golden brown. Remove from pan and decorate the pastry with the toasted almonds. Now dot a few red glace cherries along the pastry and dust with confectioners' sugar.