Works Cited
“History” Jaarsma Barkery: A Taste of Home Delivered to Your
Door. Web. 10 Oct 2010. <http://www.jaarsmabakery.com/
history.asp>.
Saltzman, Rachelle H. "Iowa Place Based Foods." Iowa Arts Council. Web. 15 Oct. 2010. <http://www.iowaartscouncil.org/
programs/folk-and-traditional-arts/place_based_foods/
stories2.htm>.
"Homemade Almond Paste Recipe | Taste of Home Recipes." Find
Recipes, Appetizers, Desserts, Holiday Recipes & Healthy
Cooking Tips, | Taste Of Home. Web. 5 Oct. 2010. <http://
www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Homemade-Almond-Paste>.
"Bhg_080184_599." Better Homes and Gardens - Home Decorating and Remodeling Ideas, Gardening, Recipes, and More.
Web. 5 Oct. 2010. <http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cookies/dutchletters/>.
Ursula Brandt
English 314
October 25, 2010
Instructions
Dutch
Letters
Makes 25 pastries
Total Time to Make: 2 hours and 30 minutes
History of the Dutch Letter
Edible letters have a long history dating back to the Middle
Ages and Germanic Tradition, During this time is was
traditional to give babies the initial of the first name made from
bread for good luck. Pastry letters have also appeared in stilllife paintings by the Dutch Masters dating back to the 16th and
17th centuries, like Still Life with Letter Pastries by Peter
Binoit in 1615.
3. On parchment paper roll out
remaining section into a 12 ½
by 10 inch rectangle. Using
the ruler and pizza cuter cut
the rectangle into five 10 by
2½ inch rectangles.
4. Take one tablespoon of
filling and shape into 10 inch
rope. Place rope in one slice
of dough. Roll dough around
filling and place on
parchment covered cookie
sheet with seem side down.
Note: baking on parchment paper will prevent
the pastries from sticking to baking sheet and
keeps the bottoms of
the pastries from
turning black.
The original Jaarsma bakery making Dutch Letters in 1920.
Dutch Letters follow a pretty standard form of Northern European marzipan (Almond Paste) filled pastry, but this pastry has
a unique tie to Iowa. In the late 19th Century, a group of Dutch
immigrants came to Iowa and settled an area in Southeast Iowa
now named Pella. The immigrants kept many of their Dutch
traditions alive, one being that of making the Dutch Letter.
5. Use pastry brush to apply a
thin layer of water on each
pastry. Sprinkle granulated
sugar over each wet pastry.
6. Bake for 10 minutes and then
rotate the direction of the
sheet and bake for another 10
minutes or until golden
brown, as pictured on front.
Remove from paper and let
cool on cooling racks.
History
Letter
Puttingof
it the
All Dutch
Together
Ingredients
Tools

Dough

Oven preheated to 375°

Almond paste

Electric Mixer

½ cup granulated
sugar

Ruler

½ cup packed brown
sugar

Large sharp knife

Pizza Cuter

1 egg white

Baking sheets

1 cup water

Parchment paper

extra sugar to sprinkle
on top of each pastry

Pastry brush

Cooling racks
Traditionally and in the Netherlands today, the Dutch letter is
made by local bakers for Sinterklaas Day (Santa Claus Day) on
December 6th, but here in Iowa they are available year round
due to their popularity.
You can find the most authentic Dutch letters at the Jaarsma and
Vander Plogg bakeries in Pella.
Steps
1. In mixer add brown and granulated
sugars with almond paste and egg
white and mix until well combined.
Set aside.
Note: to remove yoke from egg, simply
break egg over bowl, then hold egg so
that break is horizontal, remove top
and let whites drip down the sides of
the shell while the yoke stays in bottom
half of shell. Like shown in picture.
2. Using ruler and Large knife cut
dough into 4 equal parts.
Wrap three sections individually
in plastic wrap and place in
refrigerator.
Jaarsma Bakery display
If you can’t make it all the way to
Pella, Iowa or the Netherlands,
following these instructions to make
your own deliciously authentic
Dutch Letters.
Almond Paste
7. Repeat the rolling and
Ingredients
Tools

½ pound whole almonds

Food Processor

Boiling water

Bowl

1 ½ cups confectioners’
sugar

Paper towels


Wooden Spoon
1 egg

1 ½ teaspoons almond
extract

¼ teaspoon salt
folding process. (Steps
5 and 6)
Then wrap dough in
plastic wrap and place in
refrigerator to chill for
20 minutes.
8. Unwrap dough and repeat Steps 5 and 6 twice
more and wrap in plastic
wrap and chill for
another 20 minutes.
Steps
1.
Blanch Almonds
1) Place whole almonds in bowl
2) Pour boiling water to cover all of
the almonds
3) Let stand for 1 minute
4) Drain, Rinse under cold water and
drain again
5) Pat dry and use paper towels to slip
off almond skins
2.
Put blanched almonds in Food
Processor and process until smooth.
About 5 minutes.
Note: Smooth means until the
almonds are in finely processed
and there are no lumps
Note: Keep the parchment paper and the rolling pin well floured
throughout the rolling and folding process to keep the dough from
sticking. This process is essential to making the pastry light and fluffy.
5. Flatten ball and
shape the dough into
a rectangle. Make
corners as square as
possible. Use a
floured rolling pin to
roll dough into a 15
by 10 inch rectangle.
Note: Use the
rulers to keep on
the right track.
6. Fold the 2 short sides to meet in center.
Then fold in half to
create 4 layers measuring 7 ½ by 5 inches.
3.
When almonds are smooth, add sugar, egg, almond extract, and
salt. Continue to process until thoroughly combined. Use wooden
spoon to remove from processor.
Note: You should use a wooden spoon to remove because it
will not damage the blade of the processor and the blade
will not damage the wood.
Dough
3. In the small mixing
Ingredients
Tools

4½ cups all-purpose flour

Large mixing bowl

1 teaspoon salt

Small mixing bowl

1 beaten egg

Wooden spoon

1 cup of ice water

Parchment paper

2 cups cold butter (1 lb)

Rolling pin

Ruler

Plastic wrap
Steps
1. In a large mixing bowl, stir
together flour and salt. In small
mixing bowl cut cold butter
into ½ inch thick slices—not
cubes.
Note: You can use the tablespoon
marks on the outside of the
butter wrapper as a ½ inch guide.
2. Add butter to flour mixture
and toss until slices are coated
and separated.
bowl stir together the
egg and ice water. Add
all at once to flour mixture. Using a spoon,
quickly mix—butter will
remain in large pieces
and the flour will not be
completely moistened.
Note: Picture is before
mixing quickly together.
4. Turn the dough out on
a piece of floured
parchment paper.
Knead* the dough 10
to 15 times by pressing
and pushing dough
together to form a ball.
Butter should be well
combined into dough.
B
A
Note: the use of
parchment paper
is to create an
easily cleanable
surface that the
dough won’t stick
to. Use masking
tape to secure
paper to work
surface.
*How to knead dough:
As well as you can, shape the dough into a ball.
Then press heel of hand firmly in the center of
dough, pushing forward slightly. Fold right half
of dough on tap of the left half (A). Push down at
center with heel again (B). Rotate 90° dough and
repeat.