Boterkoek
Boterkoek is a rich Dutch butter cake with a texture somewhere between shortbread and a soft almond biscuit. Despite the name, it is not really a cake in the British sense, but a dense buttery bake traditionally served in thin slices with coffee. The centre should remain slightly soft when it first comes out of the oven, firming up as it cools.
Ingredients
- 250 g plain flour
- 200 g unsalted butter softened
- 180 g caster sugar
- 1 medium egg
- 1 tsp almond extract
- Pinch of salt
For the topping
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp milk
- Whole blanched almonds optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175°C fan / 190°C conventional. Grease and line a 22 cm round cake tin or flan tin.
- Beat the softened butter and sugar together until pale, smooth and creamy. This helps give the boterkoek its characteristic soft texture.
- Add the egg and almond extract and mix until fully combined.
- Add the flour and salt and mix gently until a soft dough forms. Do not overwork the mixture.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared tin. Slightly damp fingers or the back of a spoon help smooth the surface neatly.
- Mix the egg yolk with the milk and brush generously over the top. Use a fork to lightly score a crisscross diamond pattern across the surface.
- Decorate with whole almonds if using.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until deep golden on top but still slightly soft in the centre.
- Allow the boterkoek to cool fully in the tin before slicing. It will firm up as it cools while remaining rich and slightly fudgy in the middle.
- Serve in small slices with coffee or tea. It also keeps very well for several days in an airtight tin and is arguably even better the next day.
Nutrition
Calories: 264kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 9mgPotassium: 34mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 459IUCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
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