my Amsterdam kitchen – My Whisk and I

Dutch Custard Cake

June 24, 2023June 17, 2023by Karen Claassen3 Comments

Filling:
YOU WILL NEED TWO BATCHES OF THIS IF YOU HAVE FOUR CAKE DISCs
40g corn flour
50ml + 450ml milk
4 egg yolks
50g + 50g sugar
5ml vanilla

Cake:
500ml flour
12,5ml baking powder
1,2ml salt
4 eggs, room temperature
375ml caster sugar
115g butter, cubed
250ml milk
15ml vanilla
15ml vegetable oil

125ml almond flakes

For the filling:
Add the corn flour to a large mixing bowl and pour in 50ml milk.
Add the egg yolks and 50g sugar and whisk together. Set aside.
Pour the 450ml milk and 50g sugar into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring the mixture to just before boiling point and take off the heat.
Drizzle the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking continuously.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium-high heat. Stir until very thick and then cook for 30 seconds.
Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and stir through.
Pour the custard onto a dinner plate and cover with plastic wrap. Push the wrap directly onto the surface of the custard.
Allow to cool to room temperature.

Your should make TWO batches of filling, separately.

For the cake:
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray two loose-bottom cake tins and line the base and sides with baking paper.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a bowl and whisk to mix.
Add the eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed for 30 seconds.
Slowly pour in the sugar while the mixer is running.
Now beat on high speed until the mixture is three times its original volume – about 7 minutes or so.
Scatter a third of the flour on the surface and mix on the lowest speed. Add another third, mix and then the remaining flour and mix again.
Add the butter and milk to a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm when you put your finger in it. NB: YOU WANT THE BUTTER TO MELT, YOU DONT WANT TO BOIL THE MILK!
Pour the milk mixture into a large mixing bowl.
Add the vanilla and vegetable oil and whisk through with a hand whisk.
Add about 250ml of the egg and flour mixture and vigorously whisk to combine. The batter must be smooth.
Turn the mixer on to a low speed and very slowly, pour in the milk.
Scrape down the sides and the base of the bowl. Beat on low speed for 20 seconds.
Divide the batter between the two prepared cake tins.
Lift each tin 5cm from the work surface and then drop it – repeat a few times to knock out the large air bubbles.
Place the cake tins in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool in the tins for 15 minutes before turning the cakes out on cooling racks and removing the baking paper.
Leave to cool completely.

Assembling the cake:
Slice the cake horizontally so that you have 4 cake discs.
Spread the custard evenly on to each cake layer and stack them on a serving platter.
Roast the flaked almonds in a dry pan, allow to cool and scatter over the cake to serve.

I like having this cake slightly warmed up….

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Traditional Dutch Doughnuts/Oliebollen

June 22, 2023June 16, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

125ml warm/tepid water
2,5ml sugar
15ml instant yeast
4 x 250ml flour
60ml sugar
2 eggs, beaten together
500ml milk, warm/tepid
5ml salt
125ml raisins
vegetable oil for frying
icing sugar for dusting

Add the warm water and sugar to a bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Sprinkle the yeast over and stir again. Leave to stand for 10 – 15 minutes.
Add the flour and 60ml sugar to a very large bowl.
Add the eggs and yeast mixture and whisk together.
Now pour in the warm milk a little at a time, in between whisking. Keep adding milk and whisking until you have a smooth batter.
Cover the batter with a damp tea towel and set aside to rest for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the salt and raisins over the batter and fold it through with a spatula.
Cover the bowl again and rest for another hour.
Heat your oil in a saucepan – about 5cm deep.
Dip two tablespoons in the oil, shape a dough ball and slip it into the oil.
Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning as they cook. Do this in batches so that you don’t crowd the saucepan.
Dust the warm doughnuts with icing sugar and serve warm.

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Biltong Borrelbrood

June 20, 2023June 16, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 sourdough bread
200g cheese spread
100g butter
4 cloves of garlic, minced
80ml parsley, chopped
200g biltong, sliced

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Place the bread on a wooden board and place a wooden spoon on either side of it, in its length.
Slice the bread on the diagonal, into 1,5cm thick slices WITHOUT slicing through – the wooden spoons should prevent this.
Now turn the bread and slice again so that you are left with squares that are attached at the bottom.
Place the sliced bread on a large piece of aluminium foil and then onto a baking sheet. Set aside.
Add the cheese spread, butter and garlic to a small saucepan and set it over a medium-low heat.
Stir every now and then until the mixture has melted and is amalgamated.
Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
Spoon generous amounts of the cheese mixture in between the sliced bread.
Push the biltong slices between the bread squares and cover with the aluminium foil.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Serve immediately as a casual starter.

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Golden Syrup Dumplings

June 19, 2023June 12, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is one of my top 5 favourite all-time eats!! It is so easy and quick to make and utterly, heavenly delicious! The recipe makes 2 dumplings each for 4 people.

Syrup:
125ml golden syrup
190ml brown sugar
40g butter, diced
450ml water

Dumplings:
375ml self-raising flour
a pinch of salt
30g butter
1 egg
100ml milk
30ml golden syrup

For the syrup:
Add the syrup, sugar, butter and water to a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat, give the mixture a stir and leave on a low simmer while you make the dumplings.

For the dumplings:
Add the flour and salt to a mixing bowl and stir to mix.
Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the butter is as evenly distributed as possible.
Add the egg, milk and golden syrup to a bowl and whisk to combine.
Pour the mixture into the flour and stir until just combined – do not overmix!
Drop heaped tablespoons of the batter into the simmering syrup and cover with a lid.
Simmer for 7-8 minutes, turn the dumplings over and cook with the lid on for another 5 minutes.
Serve the dumplings with cream, ice cream or as is.

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Prawn Croquettes / Hollandse Kroketten

June 18, 2023June 12, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
500g prawns, cleaned
375ml mashed potato
125ml grated cheddar cheese
2 eggs
about 500ml panko breadcrumbs
vegetable oil to fry

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat, add a splash of cooking oil and the onion and cook until soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the prawns and cook until pink – about 3 minutes.
Spoon the mixture into a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped.
Add the mashed potato and cheddar and pulse until the mixture is evenly incorporated.
Season with salt.
Beat the eggs together in a shallow bowl.
Add the breadcrumbs to another shallow bowl.
Scoop 30ml of the prawn mixture into you hands and shape it into a log.
Dit into the egg and then roll to cover in the breadcrumbs.
Refrigerate the shaped croquettes for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Heat the vegetable oil and fry in batches for 3-4 minutes.
Serve warm with a tartar sauce on the side.

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Haddock Pie

May 13, 2022April 12, 2022by Karen Claassen4 Comments

2 eggs
6 large potatoes, peeled and diced
a pinch of nutmeg
120g butter, cuber
200g frozen peas
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
250ml cream
80g cheddar cheese, grated
15ml lemon juice
5ml granulated mustard
62ml parsley, chopped
500g haddock, cut into 2cm x 2cm pieces

Preheat your oven to 220℃.
Boil the eggs for 7 minutes, peel and quarter them and set aside.
Cook the potato until soft. Drain, mash and add a pinch of nutmeg.
Add the butter and mix through until the butter has melted and it is incorporated into the potato.
Taste the potato and season with salt. Set aside.
Measure the frozen peas into a mixing bowl and fill the bowl with boiling water.
Stand the peas for 1 minutes, drain and set aside.
Pour some oil into a saucepan set over medium heat.
Add the onion and carrot and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the cream and bring the mixture to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add the cheese, lemon juice, mustard, parsley, peas and fish and stir to mix.
Scoop the mixture into a 18cm x 28cm ovenproof dish and arrange the eggs on top.
Finally spread the mashed potato on top and bake for 30 minutes.
Serve the pie piping hot.

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Dutch Crumb Pie/Kruimelvlaai

May 11, 2022April 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Although a kruimelvlaai is often made with a sweet pie crust the traditional version calls for a yeasted pastry and it is soooo worth it! This is a delicious tart – a creamy, smooth custard filling in a slightly chewy pastry with a crunchy streusel on top!!

Pie Crust:
150ml milk, tepid
50g butter
250g flour
10g dry yeast
35g sugar
a pinch of salt
5ml vanilla

Filling:
1l milk
80g cornstarch
150g sugar
3 eggs
10ml vanilla

Streusel:
100g butter
175g flour
75g sugar
5ml vanilla
a pinch of salt

For the filling:
Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
Mix the cornstarch and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add the eggs and whisk well.
Take the milk from the heat and pour a third of it on the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
Now pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk while whisking away.
Turn the heat down to medium and keep whisking until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
Take the saucepan from the heat, add the vanilla and mix through.
Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl, place a layer of plastic wrap directly on to the surface and leave to cool completely.

For the pie crust:
Warm the milk until tepid and add the butter to melt.
Add the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and vanilla to a mixing bowl and make a well in the middle.
Pour the liquids into the well, mix with a fork to bring the pastry together and knead the dough by hand for 3 minutes, until smooth. You may add small amounts of flour to get the dough to the consistency where it can be kneaded.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for one hour.
Spray a 24cm tart tin with cooking spray.
Roll the dough into a circle of about 28cm in diameter and line the bottom and sides of the tart tin.
Place in a warm spot.

For the streusel:
Add the butter and flour to a mixing bowl and rub it together until it resembles course breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar, vanilla and salt and rub with your fingers to mix through.

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Pour the cold filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top.
Sprinkle the streusel over the filling in an even layer.
Bake the pie for 45 minutes.
Take the baked pie from the oven and allow it to cool.
Serve generous slices with a cup of coffee.

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Dutch Beer Dip

May 9, 2022April 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

15ml butter
15ml flour
2,5ml mustard powder
125ml beer
125ml cream cheese
125ml grated Dutch cheese (or cheddar)

Add the butter to a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir until the butter has melted.
Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds while stirring.
Add the mustard powder and stir through.
Pour in the beer in a thin stream while whisking constantly.
Turn the heat to low, stir in the cream and add the cheese.
Stir until completely melted and incorporated as a sauce.
Serve the sauce as a dip with vegetable sticks, pretzels or bread sticks.

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Potato Croquettes / Aardappel Kroketten

May 6, 2022April 2, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The word croquette is derived from the French word croquer which means “to crunch” and that is exactly what these potato bites are: a soft, cloudy potato with a heavenly crunch on the outside. Makes about 50 balls and is an excellent way of using leftover mashed potato.

4 x 250ml mashed potato
125ml Dutch smoked sausage or chorizo sausage, finely chopped
150g cheddar cheese, grated
45ml chives, chopped
5ml garlic powder
2 eggs
250ml panko breadcrumbs
vegetable oil for frying

Scoop the mashed potato into a mixing bowl.
Add the chopped sausage to a dry pan and cook until done and slightly crisp on the edges.
Add the sausage, cheese, chives and garlic powder to the mashed potato and mix through.
Scoop about 15ml of the mixture into your hand and shape into a firm ball. Place the balls on a baking tray. Keep going until there are no mix left.
Refrigerate the potato balls for at least one hour, it will be easier to work with.
Add the eggs to a shallow bowl and whisk to break it up.
Add the breadcrumbs to another shallow bowl.
Now dredge the balls through the egg and then the breadcrumbs to cover evenly and completely.
Warm the oil and fry the balls in small batches until beautifully golden and crisp.
Serve the croquettes with a good mayonnaise or mustard.

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Dutch Apple Tart/Appeltaart

May 4, 2022April 11, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Pie Crust:
375ml flour
125ml sugar
125g butter, cubed
1 egg

Filling:
4 large apples
83ml raisins
83ml brown sugar
2,5ml ground cinnamon
finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Eggwash:
1 egg and 15ml water whisked together

For the pie crust:
Combine the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl.
Add the cubed butter and rub in with your fingertips until it is clumps the size of peas.
Whisk the egg with a fork and add it to the mixture.
Mix the pastry with your hands and add a few drops of water if it is too dry to come together.
Shape the pastry into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

For the filling:
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 22cm pie dish with cooking spray.
Peel the apples, core them and cut into small chunks. Add them to a large mixing bowl.
Add the raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest and mix through.
Cut the pastry into 4 equal pieces and set one piece aside.
Press the rest of the pastry into the bottom and sides of the cake tin – you can roll it out and patch wherever it breaks.
Spoon the filling into the pie crust.
Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the remaining pastry.
Cut into strips and make a lattice pattern for the tart.
Brush the pastry with the egg wash.
Place the apple tart in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
Serve the tart with a dollop of cream.