Dutch Borstplaat (Traditional Dutch Fudge Candy)

If you’ve ever wanted to make traditional Dutch borstplaat at home, you’ll be surprised by how simple it is. This creamy sugar candy comes together with just a handful of ingredients and can be poured into small molds or spread into a pan and broken into rustic pieces once it has set.

What is Dutch Borstplaat?

Borstplaat is a traditional Dutch fudge candy that’s especially popular during the Sinterklaas season in the Netherlands and Belgium. It’s made by cooking heavy cream and sugar together until the mixture reaches the right temperature, then allowing it to cool and harden into soft, creamy candies that practically melt in your mouth.

There are many different recipes for borstplaat. Some include butter, fondant, or only powdered sugar, but the classic versions always rely on cream and sugar as the main ingredients. This recipe makes a traditional vanilla borstplaat using real vanilla bean for the best flavor.

Recipe Ingredients

You don’t need a lot of fancy ingredients for making traditional Dutch borstplaat. Check the exact ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below.

• heavy cream – creates the rich, creamy texture that makes borstplaat unique
• sugar – traditional Dutch recipes often use white basterdsuiker, which is also what I’ve used here. The best replacement would be to use a mixture of light brown sugar with white granulated sugar, although the texture might be slightly different. I’ve changed it in the recipe card to light brown sugar for the best replacement. The type of sugar you choose will affect the final color
• confectioners’ (powdered) sugar – helps create the smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture
• vanilla bean – the seeds add beautiful flecks of vanilla throughout the candy and provide the best flavor
• salt – a small pinch balances the sweetness
• butter – only used for greasing the molds so the finished candies release easily

Baking Tip: A candy thermometer is highly recommended. It takes the guesswork out of the process and greatly increases your chances of success.

Choosing Molds

Many people recognize borstplaat by its classic round shape. Traditional borstplaat molds are available, but they’re certainly not required.

You can also use:

• Cookie cutters placed on parchment paper
• A silicone mini muffin pan
• A parchment-lined baking dish

If you pour the mixture into a baking dish, simply let it harden before cutting or breaking it into pieces. Both methods work beautifully.

More traditional Dutch Holiday Treats

If you enjoy making classic Dutch sweets during the holiday season, you might also like:

• Pepernoten covered in chocolate
• Marzipan clusters
• Speculaas cookies

Storing Dutch Borstplaat

Homemade borstplaat is perfect for preparing ahead of the holidays or giving as a homemade gift.

How long does borstplaat stay fresh?

Store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.

If you’re stacking the candies, place small pieces of parchment paper between the layers to prevent sticking.

Can you freeze borstplaat?

I haven’t tested freezing this recipe, so I can’t recommend it. Because of its delicate texture, it’s best enjoyed fresh.