A long-selling bestseller. Among the many traditional flavors passed down since Keio Plaza Hotel 's founding, do you know "Copenhagener," a baked confection that has been loved as a representative souvenir of the hotel? Its recipe remains unchanged to this day. It is said that Hartmut Keitel, who made a name for himself as an exceptional pastry chef under the German head chef at the time of the hotel's opening, took a confection he encountered in Denmark during his apprenticeship as the basis, added his own unique touches, and created the hotel's original Scandinavian-style baked confection.
Made with plenty of butter, honey, and almonds, the Copenhagener is baked slowly and has a crispy, fragrant exterior and a moist, rich interior. The secret seems to lie in the Harmony of the two layers of dough, which are baked for an hour and a half, then filled with honey, almond paste, and apricot jam, and baked for another hour and a half. The finished products are cut by hand and each one is carefully wrapped in clear film. Because it is so time-consuming and labor-intensive, Chef Patissier Toshinobu Akiyama makes only about 400 of these pastries once a week. Only about 40 boxes of 10 pastries are available each week.
"With the ingredients and environment different from when we first opened, it's not easy to continue preserving our traditional recipes, but we are truly grateful that we have customers who continue to love it unconditionally even as times change. It gives us a sense of mission," says Akiyama. Supported by the passionate dedication of such pastry chefs, the hotel's signature Copenhagener ice cream celebrates its 48th year this year.
*Copenhagener can be purchased at Food Boutique "Poppins"２F Main Tower, or through the online shop on the official website. It is also available as a Copenhagener set (with coffee or tea) at the art lounge "Duet"３F Main Tower.
*Due to limited production, we apologize if the item is sold out.
