October Arroyo 2018

KITCHEN
CONFESSIONS
Going
Dutch
THE NETHERLANDS BOASTS SUCH DELIGHTS AS TULIPS,
REMBRANDT AND STROOPWAFELS.
BY LESLIE BILDERBACK
My daughter moved to Amsterdam for grad school. She left partly because there
are very few places in the U.S. that offer the program she wants, and partly
because the U.S. is getting scary. I concurred with both reasons, and I am
absolutely thrilled for her. Right now, while I am cursing at the news, she is taking a breezy
bike ride through the Dutch countryside. She is clearly the smart one.
So, anyway, I’m fine. I’ll just huddle here on the floor of her room in a fetal position for a
little while longer.
Thank goodness for texting and FaceTime. I can’t imagine what it must have been like in
the days before phones and airmail. What on earth did the Dutch East India Company sailors’
mothers do? I’ll tell you what they did. They stuffed their faces with stroopwafels.
Yes. My daughter sent me stroopwafels, and I will never be the same. How is it that I’d never
had these before? I was a pastry chef for 30 years and traveled the world, including Holland
(though to be fair, I was last there in 1987, and I was broke). I felt dumb.
First created in Gouda in the 19th century, the stroopwafel is a thin, waffle-textured wafer
cookie sandwiched with a cinnamon-caramel syrup. (Stroop means “syrup” in Dutch.) It is crisp
but not crumbly, which makes it the perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee, which is how
they are eaten in the Netherlands. I am told you are supposed to set it on top of your coffee cup
for a couple minutes to let the steam warm the filling a bit. Great idea — but I can never wait
that long.
As soon as the stroopwafels were gone (in one day), I started looking around for recipes to
keep this party going (and to feel connected to my distant offspring). All the recipes call for
using a pizzelle iron, which is a countertop appliance used to make thin Italian anise-flavored
wafer cookies. I had a pizzelle iron once. I used it for a dessert I was working on when I was
a pastry chef. I’m pretty sure I forgot it at that restaurant when I left. Unfortunately I can’t
remember which job that was.
One thing about being a professional cook (at least for me) is that the last thing I need is
another gadget. I have so many cooking tools I don’t even know what I have anymore. So no,
I am not going out to buy another pizzelle iron for this one recipe. But luckily, another thing
about being a professional cook is that I can jerry-rig something else pretty easily. I have always
been the kind of cook who prefers to wing it with what I’ve got, rather than make a special trip
and spend more money on the proper thing. Some might consider it a fault. I find it endearing.
My improvisation — stroopwafels on the griddle — worked great. I know all (both?) my
Dutch readers will roll their eyes at this variation. But they should be happy I finally featured
something from their homeland. In fact, thanks to my daughter (who abandoned me), I have
a new appreciation for the Netherlands. Besides all the great stuff they’ve given the world
— tulips, Rembrandt, cheese — they brought stuff to the New World that basically makes
us American: cookies, pancakes, pretzels, coleslaw, Santa Claus and Christmas stockings,
partying on New Year’s Eve, bowling, ice skating, the front stoop (front steps elevated in case of
flooding), cultural tolerance (still working on that one) and democracy (New Amsterdam [later,
New York City] was the first place on this continent with a bill of rights). All of these ideas were
brought here by Dutch settlers, and I couldn’t be more grateful. So thank you, Netherlanders.
Now just be sure you guys take good care of my baby. ||||
STROOPWAFELS
This recipe is traditionally made on a very thin waffle iron. A pizzelle iron or an ice
cream-cone iron will do the trick. But if you have neither, you can make these on the
griddle. They will not have the traditional waffle pattern, but they taste just as good.
When the recipe calls for placing dough in waffle iron, place it on the griddle instead,
and press down on it for a minute with a grill press or metal spatula. Then flip for
another minute until both sides are golden brown.
INGREDIENTS
Wafer:
1¾ cups unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon milk
1½ tablespoons yeast
1 egg
2/
3 cup superfi ne sugar
2 cups all-purpose fl our
Filling:
¾ cup brown sugar
1½ cups golden syrup or dark corn syrup
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
METHOD
1. Mix together melted butter, milk and yeast. Stir, then set aside for a few minutes
until it starts to proof (achieve its final rise before baking). Stir in the egg and
sugar, then the flour. When it comes together as a dough, turn out onto a floured
surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes to combine well. Cover and set aside to
rise for 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, make the filling. Combine sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan
and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn up and bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute,
then remove from heat. Stir in cinnamon and butter, then set aside to cool.
3. Preheat pizzelle iron (or griddle). Roll dough into walnut-size balls, and place
onto the center of the iron. Close and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden brown.
As soon as the cookie is done, cut it in half lengthwise to make two thin sandwich
halves. Spread a thin layer of filling in the center, and close. Repeat with remaining
dough. Store airtight, or (if you have more self-control than I do) freeze for
extended periods.
Leslie Bilderback is a chef and cookbook author, a certified master baker and
an art history instructor. She lives in South Pasadena and teaches her techniques
online at culinarymasterclass.com.
38 | ARROYO | 10.18