Pella Dutch Letters

Name: Pella Dutch Letters
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Dutch American
Ingredients: 2 cups All-purpose flour; 1.5 cups Unsalted butter, cold and cubed; 0.5 cup Ice water; 16 oz Almond paste; 0.5 cup Sugar; 2 count Egg, beaten; 0.25 cup Coarse sugar

Flaky puff pastry shaped into an S and filled with sweet almond paste, a signature treat of the Dutch-founded town of Pella, Iowa.

🇺🇸United States· Iowa

Prep: 60 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 90 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Hard
Calories: 380 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 7 gathered

Servings

Equipment

•Rolling pin
•Baking sheet
•Piping bag

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 380 kcal
fat: 22
carbs: 40
protein: 6
calories: 380

Instructions

1
Cut cold butter into the flour until pea-sized crumbs form. Stir in ice water just until dough forms.
2
Shape the dough into a rectangle and wrap it. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3
Roll into a rectangle and fold into thirds like a letter. Chill 30 minutes, then repeat folding and chilling twice more.
4
Mix almond paste, sugar, and one beaten egg until you get a smooth paste.
5
Roll the chilled dough into long strips about 4 inches wide.
6
Pipe a line of almond filling down the center of each strip.
7
Fold dough over filling and seal the edges tightly. Shape into an S on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
8
Brush with the remaining beaten egg. Sprinkle coarse sugar over the top.
9
Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes until deeply golden and puffed.
10
Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.