Peperkoek: Dutch sweet bread

Peperkoek is delicious and easy to prepare. It's Dutch sweet bread. And these three recipes for peperkoek, kruidkoek, and a sugar-free version are all delicious.

Ontbijt koek

This blog is a favorite Dutch quick bread called ontbijtkoek (literally translated breakfast cake) or peperkoek (pepper cake) this spiced cake is an integral part of the breakfast table in Holland. Rye is (usually) its most important ingredient, coloring the cake a light brown. It is often spiced with cloves, cinnamon, ginger, succade (candied citrus peel) and nutmeg.

Oudewijvenkoek or ontbijtkoek

Several parts of the Netherlands have their own local recipe, of which the most famous is "Oudewijvenkoek" (old wives' cake) which is mostly eaten in the northern regions, and is flavored with anise seed. Ontbijtkoek is traditionally served at breakfast with a thick layer of butter on top, as a replacement for bread. However due to its sweet taste it is also served as a snack.

Which flour to use?

The recipes below use whole-wheat flour or all-purpose (plain) flour since it is much easier to find than the traditional rye flour. (You can replace 1 cup of whole-wheat or all-purpose (plain) flour with rye flour in the recipes below for a more traditional taste if you wish).

Recipe Source:

Ontbijtkoek (breakfast bread) Http://www.24kitchen.nl

Sugar free peperkoek: http://gezondlevenvanjacoline.blogspot.nl

The recipes listed in the challenge use gingerbread spices. The gingerbread spice blend I use is the one common in the Netherlands, you can make your own using this recipe:

Recipe: Gingerbread Spice Blend

Recipe 2: Peperkoek cake

 Recipe 2: Kruidkoek

Original recipe in metric. Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients:

• 4 cups (960 ml) (17-⅔ oz) (500 gm) all-purpose (plain) flour
• 1½ teaspoons (7 gm) baking powder
• 2½ cups (600 ml) (17-⅔ oz) (500 gm) brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 teaspoons (10 gm) ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons (10 gm) ground nutmeg
• 2 cups (500 ml) milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 and line a 30cmx12 cm (12“x5“) baking tin with parchment paper.
2.  Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl
3.  Put the milk in a small saucepan and warm until it almost comes to a boil. Remove from the heat
4. add the sugar and whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
5. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients whisk (by hand or using a machine) until the batter is totally smooth.
6. Pour into the baking tin and bake in a preheated moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 oven for 90 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean
7. Take the cake out of the oven, allow it to cool in the pan for 5 minutes
8. After the 5 minutes take the cake out of the pan and let the cake cool down to room temperature before serving.

 Recipe 3: Sugarfree Peperkoek

Original recipe in metric. Servings: 12 slices.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (480 ml) (8¾ oz) (250 gm) whole-wheat flour
• ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (200 ml) milk
• 1 large egg
• 4½ tablespoons (100 gm) honey
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple butter OR butter
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) (⅓ oz) (10 gm) baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) (1 oz) (30 gm) ground gingerbread spices

Directions:

• Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 and line a 30cmx12 cm (12“x5“) baking tin with parchment paper.
• Heat the milk in a small saucepan. When it is almost boiling add the apple butter and honey.
• Whisk very well.
• Using a bowl and a whisk OR in the bowl of the kitchen-aid machine place the egg and spices and turn it on (low speed). Pour the milk mixture into the bowl while the machine is mixing
• Add the whole-wheat flour to the mixture, one tablespoon at a time while whisking, when done add the pinch of salt mix for a few seconds until combined.
• Pour into the baking tin and bake in a preheated moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 oven for 50 minutes until done.
•  Take the cake out of the oven, allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes
• After the 5 minutes take the cake out of the pan and let the cake cool down to room temperature before serving.

Storage & Freezing Instructions/Tips:

• Storage: About 4 days at room temperature (wrapped in foil)
• You can store it (well-covered) in the freezer up to one month.

 Additional Information:

Here is a link to a recipe using half rye and half all-purpose (plain) flour http://www.thedutchtable.com/2010/02/ontbijtkoek-dutch-spice-bread.html