SUGAR BREAD

A while ago my Dutch friend gave me a lovely book about her national cuisine so this post is dedicated to Frisian sugar bread.

Dutch recipes are practically unknown outside Holland and the American State of Pennsylvania, where most immigrants settled after the 18th century, so it was interesting to read about Dutch eating habits. Not surprisingly, these were much influenced by the landscape of Holland, which is almost exclusively covered by plains. Fish, vegetables, and milk play a big role in Dutch nourishment but you also have recipes based on unusual ingredients. The exploration, conquest, and domination of the seas by the Dutch after the Renaissance also brought about many changes. What happened? The Golden Age of Dutch history more or less coincides with the seventeenth century and was represented in every level of activity: religion, education, art, politics, war, diplomacy. The success of the Dutch East India Company increased the number of families who could afford to buy ingredients so far enjoyed by the nobility, resulting in more luxurious meals. Sugar and spices as well as exotic fruits would grace the banquets of merchants, craftsmen and other social groups who profited from Holland's advanced economy and this newly-acquired wealth became the main subject of Dutch paintings.

 

River landscape with ferry - Salomon van Ruysdeal, 1649

Frisia, where sugar bread is traditionally made, is a historic region that's seen dramatic change over the years both in landscape and cultural identity. Originally inhabited by a German tribe called Frisii, who -according to Pliny the Younger- lived on artificial hills (does this strike a cord with J.R.R. Tolkien's fans, I wonder), the northwestern part of what is today Holland became a mighty kingdom around Utrecht in the 7th century only to be defeated by the Franks, under Charlemagne, and the Vikings. Until the late Middle Ages, enormous floods reduced the population and nearly isolated the historic land of Frisia from the eastern province of the same name. Eastern Frisia was claimed by the Saxons and later disputed by the kingdoms of Holland and Prussia as well as the French Empire. Western Frisia also became part of Holland, joining the Seventeen Provinces in the 16th century. Outside the borders of Holland, Frisia is mainly known today as the origin of the Holstein-Friesian cattle, the world's most productive dairy animals. To history-lovers who are partial to Alexandre Dumas-Père, Frisia is also the birthplace of Rosa, the leading female character in The Black Tulip (1850).

This loaf is glazed with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.

 

 

SUGAR BREAD

The original recipe includes a pinch of saffron, uses only the egg yolk, 2 sachets of dried yeast, and 10g salt. The preparation begins with a starter. The filling is made of pearl sugar or cubed white sugar and the dough rolled into a cylinder and placed in a 2lt oblong baking tin. No glazing is used.

I n g r e d i e n t s

for the dough:

500+150g bread flour

1 sachet dried yeast

2.5g salt

2.5g each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and coriander

300ml whole milk

50g butter

50g caster sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

for the filling:

250g raw cane sugar

1tsp ground cinnamon

 

M e t h o d

Sift 500g flour, the yeast, salt, and spices in a bowl. Heat the milk, butter, and sugar until lukewarm. Add the egg. Combine with the dry ingredients and leave to stand for 15 minutes. Knead on a hard surface, flouring your hands when needed. After 8-10 minutes, shape into a ball, cover with a towel, and leave to rise for an hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch down, then knead in the mixture of sugar and cinnamon little by little -flouring your hands now and then. Shape into a loaf, place in a bread tin or small round baking pan lined with parchment paper, and leave to rise until almost doubled in bulk. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200C. Slash, glaze with more sugar and cinnamon (if liked), and bake for 35 minutes. You will need to cover with aluminum foil halfway through baking. Leave to cool on a wire rack and slice the next day.

T i p

Check with a toothpick or knife to see if the dough is baked through. If not, unmold and slow-bake for up to 2 hours, covered in aluminum foil.