Handy Substitutes for Dutch Ingredients

Dutch recipes often have ingredients that can be pretty hard to find outside of the Netherlands. Many are available online, but that can be a hassle, so I would like to offer some simple substitutions:

• Amandelspijs
(sweet almond paste used in Dutch baking): You can easily make your own amandelspijs or order it ready-made online.
• Dutch Brandy: You can use cognac for pretty much any recipe requiring brandy. Strictly speaking, cognac is simply aged brandy.
• Goudreinetten (apple pie apples): I would recommend Bramley apples, or whatever your local variety of cooking apples are. You want a crispy, tart apple. A good local fruit monger should be able to help you on your way.
• Hagelslag (sandwich sprinkles): Similar chocolate sprinkles are available for decorating cakes, but you can also order it here.
• Koekkruiden: This requires the same spices as speculaaskruiden, minus the cloves. You can easily make your own. Or order online.
• Smoked mackerel: If a recipe requires smoked mackerel I'd suggest using another local oily fish variety, smoked of course.
• Smoked eel: While the texture will be different, you could use another local oily fish variety (smoked) for a recipe.
• Speculaaskruiden ( a spice mix used in Dutch baking, e.g. for speculaas cookies): You can get a good result using pumpkin pie spices, but it will taste more authentically Dutch if you make your own speculaaskruiden. Or order online.
• Vanillesuiker (many Dutch recipes call for sachets of vanilla sugar that are sold here in the supermarket): Simply use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of sugar. You can also make your own vanilla sugar, by placing a vanilla pod in a jam jar of white sugar. Leave for a few weeks to infuse, and then use 1 tablespoon of this vanilla sugar.
• Zaanse mosterd: If you need to substitute a grainy variety of Zaanse mustard, simply look for a local mustard that has mustard seeds in it too. Or mix mustard seeds through your ordinary smooth mustard and leave overnight to soften a bit.

  Please feel free to email me with any questions or suggestions regarding substitutions and I will gladly add it to the list.