Bethmännchen facts for kids
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| Type | Pastry |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Main ingredients | Marzipan, almonds, powdered sugar, rosewater, flour, eggs |
Bethmännchen (pronounced "BET-man-shen") is a delicious German pastry. Its name means "a little Bethmann" in German. This sweet treat is made from marzipan, which is a paste of almonds and sugar. It also contains almonds, powdered sugar, rosewater, flour, and eggs.
Bethmännchen are traditional cookies often baked for Christmas. You can find them in many chocolate shops around Frankfurt, Germany. They are especially popular at Frankfurt's famous Christmas market. This market is one of the oldest in Germany, dating back to 1393!
The Sweet History of Bethmännchen
The name of this pastry comes from a well-known family in Frankfurt, the Bethmann family. A popular story says that a pastry chef named Jean Jacques Gautenier created the recipe in 1838. He supposedly made it for a banker and city leader named Simon Moritz von Bethmann.
The legend says that Bethmännchen originally had four almonds on top. Each almond was for one of Simon Moritz's four sons. But after his son Heinrich passed away in 1845, one almond was removed. So, from then on, the cookie had only three almonds.
However, this story might not be completely true. Simon Moritz von Bethmann actually died in 1826, which was before the pastry was supposedly created. Even with this mystery, the Bethmännchen has kept its special shape and recipe for over 150 years!
See also
In Spanish: Bethmännchen para niños
