AI-generated image
Ontbijtkoek
Spiced rye breakfast cake
Dutch spiced rye breakfast cake
Ontbijtkoek means 'breakfast cake', and in Friesland and Groningen, where the best-loved versions come from, a thick slice spread with butter is still a normal start to the day or a mid-morning snack with coffee. The loaf is dark, sticky and springy, made with rye flour and syrup and scented with the Dutch spice mix koekkruiden: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom. It contains no egg and no butter in the batter, and it gets better after a day or two wrapped up. Baking it too hot is the usual mistake; the outside goes bitter before the middle sets, so bake it low and slow. Chef's tip: wrap the loaf in cling film while it is still slightly warm and leave it overnight; it softens into the classic tacky, chewy crust.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 14
Ingredients
For the cake
- 9 oz rye flour
- 3 ½ oz dark brown sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 5 ½ oz golden syrup or dark treacle mixor Dutch stroop
- 1 cup milk
To serve
- 1 ¾ oz butter (optional)for spreading
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 300°F (275°F fan). Grease a 25 × 11 cm loaf tin and line it with baking paper.
Step 2: Mix 9 oz rye flour, 3 ½ oz dark brown sugar, 3 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground cloves, ½ tsp ground nutmeg and ½ tsp ground cardamom in a bowl.
Step 3: Warm 5 ½ oz golden syrup or dark treacle mix and 1 cup milk in a pan over low heat, stirring, until the syrup dissolves. Do not boil. Leave until just warm.
4 minStep 4: Pour the warm liquid onto the dry ingredients and stir to a smooth, thick batter, like soft porridge. Don't beat it.
Step 5: Scrape into the tin and bake for 65–75 minutes, until dark brown, firm and springy when pressed and a skewer comes out clean.
70 minStep 6: Cool for 15 minutes, then wrap the warm loaf tightly in cling film and leave overnight before slicing.
15 minStep 7: Cut into thick slices and serve spread with 1 ¾ oz butter. It keeps two weeks wrapped.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ontbijtkoek take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 14 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of dark brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Basque burnt cheesecake
This crustless cheesecake was created in the early 1990s at La Viña, a pintxos bar in the old town of San Sebastián (Donostia) in the Basque Country, and is now famous around the world. It's baked very hot so the top caramelises almost black and the sides rise and crack, while the middle stays soft and creamy, almost runny. There's no base and no water bath, and the rough, rustic look is the point: it's lined with crumpled baking paper. La Viña uses a spoonful of wheat flour; cornflour does the same job and keeps it gluten free. Chef's tip: take it out of the oven while the centre still wobbles like a soft set custard; it firms up as it cools, and if it looks set in the oven, the middle will be dry instead of creamy.
Spanish
Almond cookiesOat, coconut and almond cookies
A big batch of crunchy cookies with rolled oats, coconut, chopped almonds and chunks of cooking chocolate. For a change, use cashew nuts instead of almonds.
Reform tortaWalnut meringue chocolate cake
Belgrade pastry shops have sold reform torta since the early twentieth century, and it is still the cake Serbian families bring out for birthdays, weddings and the slava. Three thin layers of walnut meringue, crisp at the edge and chewy inside, are stacked with a dense chocolate butter cream made with egg yolks cooked over steam until thick. It is very rich, so cut thin slices and serve with strong coffee. The usual slip is beating the butter into a chocolate mixture that is still warm, which melts it and splits the cream; let it cool to room temperature first. Chef's tip: assemble the cake the day before; overnight in the fridge the meringue softens a little and the cake slices cleanly with a hot knife.
Perfect for:Tea-time