Antwerp hands

Scale with Antwerp hands

The building where Jos Hakker's bakery was located in Provinciestraat, Antwerp.

Antwerp hands are a traditional regional delicacy from Antwerp, crafted in the shape of a hand. This distinctive shape harks back to the legend of the giant Druon Antigoon, who severed the hands of boatmen who refused to pay his toll. The giant was eventually slain by the hero Silvius Brabo, who then tossed Antigoon's hand into the River Scheldt.

The concept for these hand-shaped treats originated from a competition organized by the Royal Association of Master Pastry Chefs of Antwerp. In 1934, Jos Hakker, a Jewish pastry chef from Amsterdam, won the contest with his creation: a buttery, almond-flaked biscuit in the form of a hand, made from butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and flaked almonds. The unique shape, ingredients, and packaging of these biscuits are now protected by a patent owned by the Syndicale Unie voor Brood-, Pastry, Chocolate and Ice Cream Industry VZW.

Beyond biscuits, there are also chocolate versions of Antwerp hands. Initially crafted without filling by chocolatier Goossens, since 1982, these chocolates have evolved to include variants filled with marzipan and Elixir d'Anvers, as well as praline-filled versions.