Bethmännchen

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 250 g marzipan paste
• 80 g powdered sugar
• 40 g flour
• 1 egg white
• 65 g almond(s), ground
• some fat for the tray
• 50 g almonds, whole
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp water

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Basic recipe with almonds or pistachios

Knead the raw marzipan mixture with powdered sugar, egg whites, flour, and ground almonds into a smooth, pliable dough. With wet hands, form small balls (the dough is very sticky) – it’s best to keep a bowl of water nearby and moisten your hands frequently. This will make it easier to roll the balls between your palms. Halve the whole almonds and press three almonds vertically onto each ball. If you’re using unpeeled almonds, here’s a tip: scald the whole almonds with hot water and let them soak briefly; then the skins can be easily removed with a small, sharp knife. Place the finished, but still raw, marzipan balls on a greased baking sheet. Mix the egg yolk with the water and brush the Bethmännchen with it. Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C on the middle rack for about 15 minutes. Caution: The pastry shouldn’t get too dark, otherwise it can become very hard. It should be golden yellow and still be a bit soft in the middle when broken open. Tip: Pistachios are an unusual but no less delicious alternative to almonds – so use 70 g of finely ground, unsalted pistachios and 50 g of pistachio kernels for decoration.