German Marzipan Cookies Bethmaennchen
German Marzipan Cookies Bethmaennchen
The German Marzipan Cookies Bethmaennchen are a specialty from Frankfurt am Main. Traditionally these Bethmaennchen are served on Christmas Eve, the German Weihnachten.
Ingredients for German Marzipan Cookies Bethmaennchen:
- 396g – 400g (14 oz) of Dr. Oetker Feine Marzipan Rohmasse OR Odense Marzipan
- 1 egg white OR 2 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons of Caster Sugar superfine Cane for marzipan (no powdered sugar)
- 1 teaspoon of Caster sugar superfine Cane for egg white or egg yolks
- 3 teaspoons of rosewater available at Whole Foods OR here
- 125g – 150 g (4.4 oz – 5.29 oz) of peeled almond halves
Preparation of the Bethmaennchen:
Before you start making the Bethmaennchen, have the peeled almond halves ready. Bring a saucepan with water to a boil. Add the almonds for a few seconds. Remove the saucepan from the stove and place the almonds in a colander. Use your fingers to squeeze the almonds out of their skin. Divide them in half lengthwise with a small knife and place them on a paper kitchen towel for further use. The almonds need to be a little moist when placing them on the Bethmaennchen. If you bought peeled almond halves, also drain them under running cold water in a colander.
Mix marzipan, sugar, and rosewater and knead with your hands until smooth. Portion the marzipan mix with a measuring spoon (the size of a teaspoon) and roll them between your hands into small balls. Press three almond halves against the balls while forming the balls into the shape of a hat (the top of the Bethmaennchen is smaller than the bottom). Place them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper and let them dry overnight.
Mix either the egg white or egg yolks with one teaspoon of caster sugar using a fork. Brush the Bethmaennchen with the egg mix. (I prefer the egg white with the German marzipan and the egg yolks with the Odense Marzipan.)
Preaheat the oven to 100°C – 212°F. Bake the marzipan cookies on the top rack of the oven for about 50-60 minutes or until the tips turn brown. Let the Bethmaennchen cool down on a cooling rack and store them in a tin box. Find more of Oma’s traditional German Christmas cookies recipe here.