The Swedish National Day Pastry - Den Svenska Nationaldagsbakelsen

THE SWEDISH NATIONAL DAY PASTRY
Den svenska nationaldagsbakelsen

10 pastries

Layer:

10 oz almond paste
5 oz butter or margarine
3 eggs

Loose almond paste:

3½ oz almond paste
orange liqueur, e.g. Grand Marnier
4 cups fresh strawberries
lemon balm leaves

Heat the oven to 350F.

Grate the almond paste for the layers. Divide the fat in the almond paste until smooth, using a food processor. Beat the eggs lightly, add them and quickly work the batter together. Spread it out in an even layer, very thin, in a roasting pan dressed with baking paper (the pan should be about half the size of the standard roasting pan that – at least in Sweden – normally comes with the oven). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the middle of the oven and allow to cool on a rack.

Loose almond paste:

Grate the almond paste and mix with the orange liqueur until you have a loose mixture. Spread a layer of this on top of the mazarin layer that should now be cold. Cut the layer in squares or ovals or measure out circles with a glass or a cake measure. Slice the strawberries lengthwise and stuff the almond paste surface with as many as you can on each pastry. Decorate with lemon balm leaves and a cute little Swedish paper flag.

The one in the picture above also has blackberries on, and a cover of jelly (which I absolutely love), but it’s not a must.

Enjoy! They’re delicious!

Bella