Cooking Tips & Techniques
I would love to share some of my cooking tips and techniques with you, such as a step by step guide to making mackerel spread, how to make hangop (strained yoghurt), and how to make your own almond paste.
Handy Substitutes for Dutch Ingredients
Perhaps you've come across a foreign looking ingredient in a Dutch recipe and you don't know how to find it, or you would like a local equivalent? Or, perhaps you're a Dutch expat trying to make an old favorite from back home without access to trusty old ingredients? Either way, I'm here to help with a handy list of substitutes for Dutch ingredients.
Perhaps you've come across a foreign looking ingredient in a Dutch recipe and you don't know how to find it, or you would like a local equivalent? Or, perhaps you're a Dutch expat trying to make an old favorite from back home without access to trusty old ingredients? Either way, I'm here to help with a handy list of substitutes for Dutch ingredients.
How To Make Almond Paste (Spijs)
Almond paste (called 'spijs' in Dutch) is used as a filling in a number of Dutch baked goods, such as 'stollen', 'gevulde koek', 'gevulde speculaas', 'banketstaaf', etc. It's very easy to make your own.
Almond paste (called 'spijs' in Dutch) is used as a filling in a number of Dutch baked goods, such as 'stollen', 'gevulde koek', 'gevulde speculaas', 'banketstaaf', etc. It's very easy to make your own.
How To Make Hangop
Hangop literally means 'to hang up', which refers to the process of making this strained yoghurt. The Dutch literally used to hang the yoghurt up in a wet linen pillow, suspended by a string, so that the whey could drip down into the sink. There's nothing wrong with this old-fashioned method, but I find it less messy to strain the yoghurt over a bowl in a cloth covered sieve.
Hangop literally means 'to hang up', which refers to the process of making this strained yoghurt. The Dutch literally used to hang the yoghurt up in a wet linen pillow, suspended by a string, so that the whey could drip down into the sink. There's nothing wrong with this old-fashioned method, but I find it less messy to strain the yoghurt over a bowl in a cloth covered sieve.
How To Make Smoked Mackerel Spread
Many people feel too daunted to use seafood in their cooking. Check out my step by step guide to making Smoked Mackerel Spread and you will see just how easy it really is.
Many people feel too daunted to use seafood in their cooking. Check out my step by step guide to making Smoked Mackerel Spread and you will see just how easy it really is.
How To Make Speculaaskruiden
Many Dutch recipes call for a fragrant spice mix called 'speculaaskruiden', which consists of cinnamon, mace, cloves, ginger and a few other spices. You can buy this spice mix (online), or substitute pumpkin pie spices, but if you want the authentic taste, why not mix your own? See my step by step guide, with photos.
Many Dutch recipes call for a fragrant spice mix called 'speculaaskruiden', which consists of cinnamon, mace, cloves, ginger and a few other spices. You can buy this spice mix (online), or substitute pumpkin pie spices, but if you want the authentic taste, why not mix your own? See my step by step guide, with photos.