Homemade Taai Taai

Ingredients: 1 cup of sugar 1 cup of liquid honey 1 cup of water 3 1/3 cups of flour 1 teaspoon of baking soda pinch of salt 1 teaspoon of spirits of anise or 1 tablespoon of anise 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon of ground clove
Preparation: Bring sugar, honey and water to a boil. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spread on a greased cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 325 F and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and cut into 2 inch square pieces. Keeps well in an air tight container to prevent over drying.

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Boterkoek (Butter Cake)

Ingredients: 1/2 pound of butter 1 1/2 cup of brown sugar 1 egg separated 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder 1/2 teaspoon of salt 2 cups of flour Preparation: Cream butter and sugar. Add egg white, baking powder and salt. Add flour and mix well. Divide batter and spread into two pie plates. Decorate with cross hatching marks made with the tine of a fork. Spread egg yolk over top. Preheat oven to 325 F. Bake for 30 minutes or until edges are a golden brown. Cool and slice into wedges

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Egg Cookies (Richard Van Keulen)

Ingredients: 4 eggs 1 -1/2 cups flour 1 cup icing sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder
Preparation: Mix well. Drop on greased cookie sheet. Bake in moderate oven, until golden brown.

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Jan Hagel (Richard Van Keulen)

Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup white sugar pinch of salt 1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon 1 cup unsalted butter or margarine 1 egg, slightly beaten with 1 tsp of water 1 cup slivered blanched almond ( or more to taste) Optional: candied white sugar
Preparation: Combine the four, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Cut in the butter to make a stiff dough. Pat the dough into a greased cookie sheet or jelly-roll pan. Brush the surface of the dough with the beaten egg and water, allow any excess egg to run off the surface of the dough. Cover the top of the dough with slivered almonds (sprinkle with candied sugar if desired) The amount of almonds and sugar are to your preference, but usually, very little dough shows through. Bake in preheated oven at 300f (150c) for 35 minutes. Cut warm dough into diamond or squares.

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The Best Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients: 250 g dark chocolate - preferable Cote D'or, melted in the microwave 400 g heavy cream - whipped 4 egg whites - whipped 4 egg yolks, 100 g sugar, 100 g whole milk - mix until creamy Preparation: Add melted chocolate to yolk/sugar/milk mix until creamy. Stir in whipped egg whites with spoon slowly. Then stir in whipped cream. Let stiffen up in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, though best overnight.

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Pepernoten (Richard Van Keulen)

Pepernoten (Gingernuts) is a typical dutch candy that Sinterklaas gives to all children. Here's the recipe for this delicious candy.
Ingredients: 125g baking powder 1 tsp treacle 1/2 tbs 'speculaas'-spices 25g butter 50g brown sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1 tbs milk
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 180-220 C. Mix all ingredients in the mixing bowl. Wash your hands and with your wet hands mix everything well. Knead the mix until it becomes a dough that does not stick to your hands. Grease the baking-tray using the butter-brush Roll the dough into little balls, as big as marbles, and put these on the baking tray. Put the baking tray in the middle of the oven and for about 20 minutes. Turn of the oven, let the gingernuts cool for 10 minutes and then use the saptula to remove them from the baking tray.

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Almond Speculaas

Ingredients: 1 cup butter or margarine 3/4 cup sugar 1 egg 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups flour 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp baking soda 2 tsp milk 1/2 cup sliced almonds Preparation: In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Mix flour, baking soda, and cinnamon seperately. Add to creamed butter and sugar until combined. Spread dough into foil lined 13x9 inch baking pan. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with almond. Press almonds into dough. Bake at 350 degree pre-heated oven for 15 - 18 minutes or until golden. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into squares. Makes about 36 squares. If you are going to mold the cookies then ensure that the molds are chilled, oil and flour them lightly to start and then flour lightly after each use. Scraps and trimmings should be refigerated and used all together at the end.

Marzipan Potatos

Ingredients: 2 cups ground almonds 2 1/4 cups icing sugar 1 tsp rose water 1 large egg white Fine Dutch Cocoa - eg. Droste Cocoa
Preparation: Mix almonds, icing sugar, rose water and egg in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Wrap in a damp towel and allow to rest over night. Take marzipan and roll into small one inch balls. Place cocoa, about 1/2 cup, into a small bag and toss a marzipan ball into bag. Close bag and gently roll around with your hands until the ball is covered in a light dusting of cocoa. The cocoa will cause the balls to look remarkably like baby potatos but are so much sweeter to eat! This same recipe can be used to make a variety of shapes. Instead of rolling in cocoa, add food colouring to marzipan and shape into fruits, stars or any other shape. This is lots of fun for children and unlike playdough, marzipan is edible.

Oliebollen and Appelflappen

Ingredients: ½ cup lukewarm water 1 tsp. sugar 2 packages of dry yeast 4 cups of flour 2 eggs ¼ cup sugar 2 cups of milk 1 tsp. salt 8 cups or 2 litres of oil Icing Sugar
For Oliebollen ¼ cup or currants or raisins OR ½ cup of chopped/peeled apples OPTIONAL
For Appelflappen Peeled and cored apples cut into thick slices.
Preparation: In a narrow glass bowl or measuring cup, stir 1 tsp. of sugar into ½ cup of lukewarm water. Sprinkle dry yeast on top and let sit for 10 minutes. (The yeast should begin to foam or bubble if active.) Stir. Place flour in a large bowl and create a hole or well in the middle of the flour. Add eggs, sugar and yeast mixture. Heat milk in a small pan until lukewarm, add ½ of milk to well in flour and fold in wet ingredients until the flour is damp. Add the rest of the warm milk and blend until smooth. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and place in a warm area to rise for 45 minutes to an hour. The mix should about double in that time. Heat oil in a deep fryer or a deep pan to 375 degrees. For best results, always use fresh oil. While oil is heating, prepare some flat containers with layers of paper towels for Oliebollen or Appelflappen, to be placed in after cooking.
For Oliebollen: After mixture has doubled, stir in salt and currants, raisins or apples if desired. Once oil is heated sufficiently, take two tablespoons to use for forming the Oliebollen. Take one tablespoon in each hand. Dip each spoon into the hot oil quickly. With one tablespoon, scoop one spoonful from the bowl. With the other spoon, scrap or slide the oliebollen mix off the first spoon into the pan of oil. Depending on the diameter of your pan, you should be able to do 6 to 8 Oliebollen at a time. The Oliebollen should sink down to the bottom and pop back up. Once the bottom of the Oliebollen is golden brown, flip over to cook the top. As long as your pan is not too crowded, you should find that the Oliebollen will begin to flip by themselves. If your spoon becomes covered with Oliebollen mix so that the mix does not slide off easily, use a new spoon. Remove from oil and place on tray or flat container that has been covered with paper towels. When cooled enough to touch, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve. ALTERNATIVELY, serve with individual servings of icing sugar for dipping.
For Appelflappen, After mixture has doubled, stir in salt. Peel and core apples and slice thickly into rounds. Dip each apple slice into the oliebollen mix so that it is well-covered and careful place in oil. Depending on the diameter of your pan, you should be able to do 4 to 5 apple slices at a time. When the bottom becomes golden brown, flip over to cook the top. Remove from oil and place on tray or flat container covered with paper towels. When cooled enough to touch, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.

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Pannekoeken (dutch pan-cakes)

Ingredients: 12 Eggs 1 qt Milk 1 tsp Salt 1 c Flour Preparation: Beat eggs to a froth; add milk and salt. Slowly stir in flour. Cook very thin layers on buttered griddle. Roll up with butter and brown sugar or serve with maple syrup. Note: Pancakes are almost always used for dessert in The Netherlands

Kruimel koek (dutch crumb cake)

Yield: 9 servings
Ingredients: 2½ c Flour ½ tsp Salt ½ tsp Baking soda ½ c Shortening ¾ c Brown Sugar, firmly packed 1 c Raisins, ground 1 Egg, beaten ¾ c Thick Sour Milk 2 tbs Sugar 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" x 8" pan. Sift together flour, salt and soda. Cream shortening, gradually add brown sugar; mix untill light and fluffy. Blend in dry ingredients. Reserve 3/4 cup mixture. Combine raisins, egg, and milk; add to remaining mixture. Beat well. Pour into pan. Sprinkle reserved mixture over batter. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top. Bake 25 minutes

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Jan in de zak (dutch pudding)

Ingredients: 1 Cake compressed yeast 1 c Lukewarm water 1 Egg, beaten 3 c Flour 1 c Raisins ½ tsp Salt 1 tbs Candied lemon peel
Preparation: Dissolve yeast in milk. Add egg, flour, raisins, salt and peel; mix well. Let stand 1-1 ½ hrs in warm place. Sprinkle flour on a piece of cheesecloth large enough to hold dough. Pour in batter and tie, leaving a little room to allow for swelling. Put in large kettle of hot water; boil for 2-2 ½ hrs. Untie, remove from bag and slice pudding with a tread. Serve with butter and sugar.

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Rice Pudding

Ingredients:1 qt. milk ½ cup rice (probably NOT minute rice)
Preparation: Cook together on low to medium heat for at least 1 hour stirring often until rice is soft. Beat: ½ cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla Add to rice mixture. Pour in serving dish, serve warm or cold. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

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Dutch Breakfast Bread (Ontbijtkoek)

Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup of brown sugar 1 Tbsp of baking powder 1 tsp of baking soda 2 tsp of cinnamon 1/3 tsp of nutmeg 1/3 tsp of ground ginger 1/3 tsp of salt 1 cup of plain yogurt (can be fat-free) or buttermilk 1 egg, beaten 1/3 cup of honey
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the liquid ingredients together until well blended. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until moistened. Pour batter into an oiled loaf pan and baked for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove from pan. Set on a rack to cool. Serve with margarine spread and strong coffee.

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Dutch Apple Cake (Hollandse Appel Koek)

Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened 1 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1 1/4 cup warm apple sauce 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 3/4 tsp. salt 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 3/4 tsp. cloves 2 apples, diced 1 cup raisins 1 cup chopped pecans Preparation: Mix butter with sugar and eggs. Blend on low with an electric mixer or by hand. Slowly blend in applesauce. Sift all dry ingredients with spices and add apples, raisins and nuts. Stir dry mixture into butter mixture. Pour the batter into a greased 9x13 cake pan. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

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Dutch Apple Coffee Cake

Ingredients: 3/4 cup light sour cream 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/3 cup unsalted butter 1/2 cup extra finely granulated sugar (also called berry or basterd sugar) 1 large egg 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3 Granny smith apples, peeled and sliced 8 oz. mild Gouda Cheese cut in wedges 2/3 cup Demerara (coarse dark) brown sugar 1/2 cup slivered almonds or hazelnuts
Preparation: Mix the sour cream and baking powder in a bowl, set aside. In a seperate bowl, mix the flour and salt. Cream the butter and berry sugar. Add the egge and vanilla extract, beating until light and fluffy. Add the sour cream to the butter mixture. Mix well. Add the flour and salt mixture and again, mix well. Grease a 9" square glass pan and spread 1/2 of the batter in the pan. Place 3/4 of the apples and cheese wedges in a concentric circle on top of the batter. Add remaining batter and top witht he rest of the cheese and apples. Mix the brown sugar and nuts and sprinkle on top of the cake. Bake for 35 minutes at 375 degrees.

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Banket Staven (Almond Roll)

These almond-paste-filled, stick-shaped pastries from the Queen's Inn restaurant in Holland, Michigan, taste a lot like delicious Dutch letters.
Ingredients: 2 cups butter or margarine 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup water 2 8-oz. cans almond paste 2 cups sugar 3 beaten eggs 1 egg white or 1 tablespoon milk
Preparation: In a large mixing bowl, cut butter into flour till pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push to side of bowl. Repeat till all is moistened. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in clear plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour. Meanwhile, crumble almond paste into a medium bowl. Stir in sugar and eggs. Let stand for 30 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 13x8-inch rectangle. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into 2 equal strips, to make a total of eight 13x4-inch strips. Stir almond-paste mixture till well combined. Spoon almond mixture evenly down center of each pastry strip. Moisten edges of each pastry strip with water. Fold each long side over filling; seal edges. Pinch seams to seal into logs. Place seam-side down on lightly greased baking sheets. Brush with the egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon water or just brush with the milk. Bake in a 425° oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°. Bake logs for 10 minutes more or till light brown. Cool on wire racks. Cut each log crosswise into 4 pieces. Makes 32 pastries. Note: For a smaller batch of pastry, halve all the ingredients and use 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk in the almond filling. Divide the dough into two equal parts, roll out and cut to make a total of four 13 x 4-inch strips.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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