Spijs

Spijs is a Dutch term for a sweet paste used as a filling in pastries and baked goods. The most common form is amandelspijs, almond paste made from finely ground almonds and sugar, bound with egg or egg white, and sometimes a small amount of water or lemon zest for flavor. Variations may include other nuts such as hazelnuts or walnuts and occasional flavorings like vanilla, rum or brandy, but almond is the standard ingredient.

Amandelspijs is typically prepared by mixing ground almonds with sugar and binding agents until a smooth, firm paste forms. The paste should hold its shape when shaped or rolled, yet be soft enough to spread. It is often tinted or shaped for decorative purposes in traditional pastries.

Uses and regional dishes: Spijs is widely used in Dutch and Belgian baking, especially in festive treats. It appears in gevulde speculaas (stuffed spiced cookies) where the paste is enclosed in a spiced dough, and in gevulde koek, a slab of sponge cake filled with spijs and coated with fondant or icing. It may also be used in other banketbakkerij pastries and tarts.

Storage and preparation notes: Fresh amandelspijs stores best refrigerated and can be wrapped and kept for several days; it can also be frozen for longer storage. When using commercial or home-made spijs, it is common to portion and chill the paste before shaping to make handling easier.

Etymology and culture: The term spijs refers broadly to a filling or paste in Dutch culinary usage. Amandelspijs is a traditional element of Dutch Christmas and winter pastry culture, reflecting historical guild bakery practices.