Dutch Boterkoek

  

Dutch Boterkoek.  I know this is not an English recipe but a traditional Dutch recipe. I also know that traditionally it is baked at Christmas, and this is Easter.

But I saw it on this page and it cried out to me. I had pinned it ages ago. I was invited over to my sister's this weekend and I wanted to make something to bring with me that  I thought everyone would enjoy. 

Hence, Dutch Boterkoek. 

 

Every once in a while I get a batch of grief on my Facebook page about this being The English Kitchen and me posting non "English" recipes on there.  If they ever took the time to actually visit the blog, they would see that I have hundreds of "English" recipes on here.

I don't necessarily want to eat traditional foods every day and I am sure they don't want to either. I like to eat a variety of dishes and cuisines.  I like to think that this page is a tasty mélange of the traditional and the new and everything in between.

 

Now that I am back living in North America, its also a tiny bit more difficult to procure certain British ingredients as well, and that makes it harder.  

Most of my audience is North American as well, in specific American.  I know that they also will have difficulty procuring some British ingredients.

At the end of the day I cannot please everyone.  I just post what I cook and what I eat and what I think you will also want to cook and eat, and hope that will be good enough.  Now back to this cake.

 

Its not really a cake as such. Its very dense and buttery. Its also not a cookie or a pastry.  It is something in the middle of all of that, and it is rich and delicious.

You wouldn't want to eat large slices of this, it is so rich.  I am thinking that slices of this would also go very well with some fresh berries, such as raspberries or strawberries. Possibly even blueberries.

 

One thing which really appealed to me about this recipe was the simplicity of the ingredients and method of cooking. It really could not be any easier to make.

Its the ideal dessert/teatime bake to make when you are pressed for time and just want something simple and something sweet.   As I said it is very rich and very sweet, so a little bit goes a very long way.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE DUTCH BOTERKOEK

Like I said, there is nothing out of the ordinary or complicated here! I like recipes such as this.

• 2/3 cup (150g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
• 1 large free range egg
• 1 1/2 cups (210g) all purpose plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• flaked almonds to top (optional)

 

I just used regular salted butter. There is no requirement for salt in the recipe.  The butter adds enough salty flavor.

  

It is quite sweet, almost half sugar, and very buttery.  I used non bleached organic granulated sugar. It does use a lot of almond extract. If you are not fond of that much almond flavor, you could use half vanilla.

The flaked almonds on top were my idea, as the original recipe did not have any. I have seen other recipes for this cake that use flaked almonds on top and I have seen a few that glaze it with a beaten egg prior to baking as well. I did not glaze this and I am glad that I didn't.

HOW TO MAKE DUTCH BOTERKOEK

This really is very simple to make. The batter is very thick and spreadable. Don't worry it is supposed to be that way. 

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch pie dish or round baking tin and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light. Beat in the egg and almond extract.

Sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir this into the creamed mixture, mixing it in well. The batter will be very stiff.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top over.

Sprinkle flaked almonds on top if desired.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack and cut into thin wedges to serve.

 

NOTE: You can swap 70g or ½ cup of the flour amount for the same amount of ground almonds or desiccated (flaked coconut) This will also give a lovely flavor.

If you want to glaze it, I would suggest beating the egg for the batter and reserving a teaspoon or so of it and then using that to glaze the cake before you put it into the oven.

If you are glazing it keep an eye on it for the last 10 minutes or so just in case. You don't want it to get over brown.

As I said this is very delicious and quite rich. I think a tiny wedge of it is ample enough to sit down and enjoy with a hot cup of treat for an extra special treat.

I do think that some fresh berries would help to cut the sweetness of it somewhat, but I did think it was very delicious as is.

I don't drink coffee, but I think wedges of this would also go very well with hot cups of coffee. Can you imagine the smell, freshly baked almon butter cake and freshly brewed coffee. Now that's a candle scent I would love to buy!

Some other delicious teatime bakes on here that I think you might enjoy are:

GINGER CRUNCHIES - These are crisp and buttery, very short textured.  They are also topped with a lush ginger glaze and some sweet chunks of preserved ginger.  Don't worry if you haven't got any preserved ginger, you can substitute candied ginger for it, or leave it off altogether.

POLKADOT PETTICOAT TAILS - Traditional shortbread wedges baked in a round.  They are dimpled with a variety of jams, hence the polka dots. You could also use lemon curd for a citrus slant.  Delicious either way!

Yield: 12

Author: Marie Rayner

Dutch Boterkoek

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min

This is a traditional Dutch dessert that is simple to make and sure to please whoever you serve it to. Rich, buttery, and flavored with almond. It you like butter and almonds, you will love this.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup (150g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
• 1 large free range egg
• 1 1/2 cups (210g) all purpose plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• flaked almonds to top (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch pie dish or round baking tin and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light. Beat in the egg and almond extract.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir this into the creamed mixture, mixing it in well. The batter will be very stiff.
4. Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top over.
5. Sprinkle flaked almonds on top if desired.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool in the pan on a wire rack and cut into thin wedges to serve.

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