Dutch Letters

By sankey007

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, chilled
• 1/3 cup + 1 T. ice water
• 1 can (8 ounces) almond paste- Solo Brand
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• milk or water to brush
• Course sugar to top

Preparation

Step 1

In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt. Cut in chilled butter until the texture of the mix is mealy with pea sized lumps.
Add ice water gradually while stirring with a wooden spoon until dough forms a ball. Roll out in rectangle, flour, trifold, roll out in rectangle, flour, trifold, place in refridgerator for 30 minutes. Roll out, flour, trifold. Then roll rectangle out to 3/8 inch, and cut into 4x6 rectangles (you'll be able to see all the layers from the side that you made by the trifolding)- place them in the refridgerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. Take each 4x6 and cut into 4 equal strips. Take one strip and roll out into a rope about 10 inches, then flatten by rolling out. To make filling, in a small bowl, mix together the almond paste, sugar and egg and mix well. Using a pastry bag or a strong plastic bag with a small hole cut from the corner, pipe almond filling down the center. Fold one side of the dough over the filling to meet the other side, and roll to seal. Place on cookie sheet in an 'S', repeat with others the same way, brush with milk or water and sprinkle on course sugar. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.