I was in the infinately grundgy “Peace and Love Hostel” in Paris, talking to a Canadian. We were talking about the usual hostel things (Where are you going and where have you been) when I revealed I was on my way to Amsterdam. Suddenly, his eyes got wild. He said “I’m going to show you something…something you can get anywhere in Amsterdam…something that will blow your mind…but I am not going to let you try any, or else you’ll take all of mine.”
Knowing Amsterdam’s reputation, I thought he was going to show me some new frontier in recreational drugs. Instead, he pulled out a package of cookies. He said you could get them at any bakery. I looked at him kind of funny, thanked him for the advice, and caught a high speed train to Amsterdam the next morning.
In Amsterdam, I locked my cheap rented bike up in front of a bakery, and ordered a package of the cookies. I was skeptical…after all, how good can a cookie be? All I can say is I ate the whole pack before I unlocked my bike, and went back in to grab myself three more packs. Later on in my stay, I grabbed five or so packages to take back home as souveneirs. Sadly, I ate almost all of them before I even set foot in the airport. I had to buy some from the airport gift shop just so I’d have something to give to my family.
I gave some to my Uncle. He went to Europe the next year, but couldn’t make it to the Netherlands. He searched in vain for stroopwafels. My uncle returned with an abundence of half eaten packs of cookies that just wern’t quite stroopwafels. He also shared one of his souveneir stroopwafels that I gave him with a co-worker. His co-worker went to Amsterdam soon after specifically to eat stroopwafels.
I need these cookies, and yet they do not exist here. Even on the Internet, after much searching, the only way I can get them is in bulk. I’d have to spend at least $40.00 on cookies. I am going nuts without this confectionary equivilent of crack-cocaine. I curse this cookie longing. Grrrr…I want stroopwafels.
I treated the Dopers at the Dublin Dopefest in October to stroopwafels as well. Tatertot’s particularly fond of them.
They’re good. They’re REALLY good. The best are the ones you buy from one of the (unfortunately increasingly rare) street stands where they are being baked in front of you. So warm they’ll bend, with the syrup so hot it’ll drip out and burn your fingers.
My GOODNESS. The stroopwafel truly is the King of Cookies.
even sven, I fail to see the problem here. Why don’t you just buy the $40 worth of stroopwafels and then sell them to your family members and friends? If they’re that
addictive, it should be easy.
sven: Family member or friend, would you like a cookie? FMOF: Yes, thanks, sven. sven: Here go. FMOF (sounding near orgasm): OOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhh! These are SO GOOD. Yum yum yum! Mmmmmmmmmm. Oh, sven, can I have more? Where can I buy these? sven: Gee, I’d love to give you a whole pack, but the thing is - they aren’t available in the US (or wherever you are). I have to buy them in bulk from Amsterdam. So the only way I can afford to give you more than one is if you make a donation to the stroopwafel fund. FMOF (reaching frantically for waller): Damn. I only have $34.14 in cash. Will you take a check? I’ll pay you $300 if you let me eat as many as I want. sven (thoughtfully calculating how many stroopwafels he can buy for $300): Um. Sure. Okay.
Problem solved. And in a few months, you’ll be able to quit your job and become a full-time cookie pusher. (My cut: I want a package of stroopwafels sent to me for free. I want to taste these things. What’s in 'em, anyway?)
Basically, the stroopwafel consists out of two thin wafers held together by a layer of caramel syrup. The “live” baked versions I described above? They take two freshly baked wafers. Spread a layer of hot, liquid caramel syrup on one of them. Stick the other on top. Let it cool off for a minute or so. But be sure to eat them when they’re still warm! Yum.
Of course, even the prefab supermarket (cold) variety is fantastic. But the fresh ones REALLY kick ass.
I my sainted mother brings me back a few packages of these every time she goes back to visit her family…they don’t last long. My grandmother (Oma) used to send us chocolate letters (our first initial, in my case “E”) for Christmas every year and once included a pack of stroopwafels for me. I think that was the best Christmas ever.
I love these little cookies although I’ve never had the pleasure of having those fresh made. Look for a store that specializes in Dutch food or even just Scandinavian food, and you might find them there. Here in Seattle we have a little Northern European enclave called Ballard. In Ballard are many Scandihoovian shops and a wonderful little Dutch cafe where you can buy the amazing stroopwafel. If you get them in a package, make yourself a cup of tea - not as unrelated as you think - and set said cookie on top of cup while tea is steeping. This will heat the stroopwafel enough to make the inside wonderfully gushy. Good luck in your search.
I love these little cookies although I’ve never had the pleasure of having those fresh made. Look for a store that specializes in Dutch food or even just Scandinavian food, and you might find them there. Here in Seattle we have a little Northern European enclave called Ballard. In Ballard are many Scandihoovian shops and a wonderful little Dutch cafe where you can buy the amazing stroopwafel. If you get them in a package, make yourself a cup of tea - not as unrelated as you think - and set said cookie on top of cup while tea is steeping. This will heat the stroopwafel enough to make the inside wonderfully gushy. Good luck in your search.
Hoi! YOU just made me laugh out loud at work. I would probably even like that band. As of late I’ve found I have an affinity for accordians. I will email the web address to my friend, who introduded me to all things Netherlandish, and she can translate it for me, too. Thank you!
Oh, man - Kinder Eggs. I love 'em. There’s just something so deeply satisfying about a cheapie toy hidden inside a chocolate egg. Why don’t American chocolate companies see that?
Last Easter, the Loved One and I bought some chocolate eggs that were advertised as having ‘novelties’ inside - we were hoping they might somehow be like Kinder Eggs. You know what the novelty was? A piece of white chocolate! What’s the point in that?
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
FILLING:
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1 Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
2 Cut 1 cup of the butter into the flour. Mix in the sugar, eggs and yeast mixture. Mix well and set aside to rise for 30 to 60 minutes.
3 Roll dough into balls and bake in a pizelle iron.
4 To Make Filling: In a saucepan boil the brown sugar, 1 cup of the butter, cinnamon and dark corn syrup until it reaches the soft ball stage (234-240 degrees F 112 -115 degrees C). (Do not overboil)
5 Split waffles in half and spread cut sides with the warm filling. Then put the halves back together.
