By Marie Fagan Peart | marie@haldimandpress.com
The bond between a grandmother and grandchild is special and that was evident when I visited with Julie and granddaughter Stephanie. Stephanie and her younger brother Nathan are the children of Heather and Ray Love.
Two days a week they visit their Beppe and Pake’s home after school. During that time Stephanie and Julie bake.
The baking actually started a long time ago when Stephanie was very young. As soon as she saw her grandmother standing at the counter or stove, she dragged a chair over and was ready to help. She remembers sitting on the counter top adding ingredients to the mixing bowl. Now that Stephanie is in Grade 5, she is a willing partner with her grandmother. At home she has started to bake by herself. Her favourite recipes to make on her own are chocolate chip cookies and cheesecake. Her brother Nathan doesn’t seem to be interested in baking. However, he did admit that he likes her cookies and is willing to be the official taste tester.
During Covid, the Loves were undergoing a major home renovation, so the family lived with Julie and John for many months. Being together as a family during that time would have certainly added to the strong connection between the generations. When talking with Julie about the recipes they had decided to share, I noticed that Dutch culture played a big role. Julie’s parents immigrated from Friesland, a Dutch province. She recalled that after her mother passed away, her father began to bake. He would make the oranje koek (orange cake). She said his cake was delicious and hers has never turned out as nice as his. He did something different, but he never divulged what it was. It is funny to note that even though the cake is called orange, their family always iced it with pink coloured frosting.
When I asked Stephanie what she enjoyed the most about baking she said, “It’s a way for me to be creative. It’s kind of like math too. It helps me remember my fractions”. Enjoy!
Gevulde Koeken (Filled Cookies)
Filling:
8 ounces ground almonds
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract (or more)
Juice of ½ a lemon
Dough:
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
3½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon almond extract or more to taste
Mix the filling ingredients together and refrigerate overnight.
Combine dough ingredients. Refrigerate for ½ hour minimum or longer. Roll out dough to ¼ inch thick and cut out 3½ inches rounds.
Place 1 teaspoon of almond filling in the centre and cover with another round piece of dough. Brush the edge with water and press edges together. Brush top with beaten egg. May embellish with a sliced almond placed on the top.
Bake at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies. They freeze well.
Oranje Koek (Orange Cake)
Wet Ingredients:
3 eggs beaten
2 cups brown sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ pound of butter (1 cup)
Dry Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons anise seed
Pinch of salt
Icing:
Icing sugar
Water
Pink food colouring
Grease a 12-inch by 18-inch cookie sheet. Line with parchment paper.
Cream the wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix lightly.
Spread this over the cookie sheet. Bake in a 275°F oven for about 45 minutes.
Make an icing using just a few drops of food colouring and enough water to create a spreading consistency. Spread over cooled cake.
