A Dutch Stroopwafel is a waffle made from two layers of baked dough with syrup in the middle, and it is a delicious Dutch treat. Easily one of Holland’s best snack exports, this unique cookie is relatively unknown in the US, but there’s something about the tasty treat that’s impossible to resist. They were first made in the Dutch city of Gouda way back in the late 18th century by a baker who made use of leftovers from a bakery.
The dough itself is made of flour, butter, milk, eggs, yeast, and brown sugar. Medium-sized balls of dough are put into a waffle iron and then pressed into a thin, round shape. While the waffle is still warm, it is split into thin-layered halves, which are then glued together using syrup made from butter, cinnamon and brown sugar.
Dutch waffle syrup packs a lot of flavour, and the good news is that it’s not loaded with sugar.
The stroopwafel, or simply ‘syrup waffle’ is a perfect treat for anybody visiting Amsterdam, and a decent excuse to stop and check into a little café or shop, somewhere along the cobbled streets and tall, skinny houses.
The Waffles Come in Two Forms:
The first is a large, freshly pressed treat that you can get at just about any bakery or market in the Netherlands. It’s as big as a plate, and consists of two thin layers of crispy waffle, and thick tasty syrup sandwiched in the middle. It is served warm and crunchy and oozy, and will probably taste of caramel and toffee, and is a delicious treat.
The other version is much smaller and softer, and is sold in packets in Dutch stores. Apparently there’s a strict Dutch lore about the way to eat this type of stroopwafel. You see, its size is perfectly fitting to that of the rim of a coffee cup, and after preparing a hot drink (could be tea, coffee, hot chocolate, etc.), you should rest one stroopwafel atop the coffee cup for five minutes.
During this time, the hot steam from the hot drink will soften up the lower waffle and also the delicious caramel filling inside. What follows is a chewy, oozy treat, with a beautiful aroma.
You can eat the stroopwafel for breakfast with any hot drink, but there are other ways to enjoy it, such as:
- Warm stroopwafel served with ice cream
- A stroopwafel sandwich: two of them sandwiching apples and brie
- Mix stroopwafel in a blender and hot cream to make sauce
- Make stroopwafel pancakes topped with bananas foster and bacon maple sauce
- Serve stroopwafel topped with corn beef and poached egg
- Make fruit pies and use it as bottom crust, and top it with goodies
- Crush and use as crunchy caramel topping to serve braised pork belly and roasted pork
The Dutch syrup waffle packs great flavor, and the good news is it doesn’t come loaded with sugar. Subtle tastes of cinnamon and vanilla blend in and add some depth to the sugar used to make the caramel and waffle. Some recipes include yeast and some don’t, but the result is always amazing, and truly memorable.
The number of factories making Stroopwafel has dropped significantly over the decades, but there still is a considerable amount being made for export, and a number of suppliers do exist in the states.
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