Banket

Beginning as long ago as I can remember, my Mom's best friend, Dorothy Tazelaar (an amazingly beautiful and talented woman), gifted my Dad with her homemade baked goods each Christmas. There was always a special bond between the Tazelaar and Bosch families, one they never failed to celebrate given any opportunity!

Dad always looked forward to his special gifts with great anticipation! Although there were usually a few varieties of cookies and pastries, he savored every bite of the delicacy called Banket (pronounced "bun-ket") during the Christmas holidays. The pastry was flaky, the filling rich, and the "old country" delicacy couldn't be matched in my dad's eyes! He always made sure some strips of Banket were carefully wrapped in foil and put in the freezer to enjoy as a special treat during the cold winter months in Cleveland.

As a gift at my wedding shower in late 1971, Mrs. Tazelaar blessed me with the recipe card shown above. I'm convinced she thought I would carry on the tradition and make sure my Dad always had Banket each Christmas. Unfortunately, it was several years before I actually attempted making it – I simply didn't feel qualified since pastry was never my forte.

This is not an easy recipe, but although it's time-consuming, it's worth every ounce of energy needed to prepare this amazing Dutch pastry. If you should attempt to make it, please let me know how it turns out for you!

Crust

• 1-lb Butter (not margarine)
• 4 c Flour
• 1 c Ice Water

Cut flour into butter. Gradually add ice water and roll up into a ball. Chill overnight.

Filling

• 1-lb Almond Paste
• 2 c Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice

Combine all filling ingredients and chill overnight.

The next day: Separate dough into 8 balls. Roll each one out on a well-floured cloth. Roll dough into a long narrow strip. Spoon Almond Filling on center of strip. Brush beaten egg around the ends and fold over the filling. Seal very thoroughly, or filling will cook out. Place strip on cookie sheet with seam down

Spread beaten egg over top and, using a fork, make holes on top so steam can escape. Bake at 350-400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Let rest before removing from pan.