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A slagroomtaart is probably the most popular Dutch birthday cake there is. Want to make your own Dutch cream cake? It is so easy! In this recipe I will tell you exactly how to bake the cake, fill it and decorate it.

Slagroomtaart recipe

I made my first cream cake in 2015, several years ago now. Its recipe has not been published on the blog until today, but has been in my first baking book since 2016. I have been asked for my cream cake recipe quite often.

Fortunately, I know that many home bakers had my book at home and could just make the cake, but now it’s time to share this delicious cream cake on the blog!

About the cake base

The cake base of a slagroomtaart is very light and airy, we also call it ‘biscuit’ or ‘kapsel’. Think sponge cake or chiffon cake. you could use some lemon zest or spices to have some extra flavor in the cake.​

We use this cake base for a lot of Dutch cake recipes, but the cream cake is definitely the most popular one. In this video, you can see how soft and fluffy the cream cake is:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Laura Kieft | In Laura’s Bakery (@inlaurasbakery)

Dutch Cream Cake Filling

The base of the cream cake is filled with jam and whipped cream. Optionally, a syrup can be brushed on the cake layers to moisten the cake or add flavor. If you make the cake several days in advance, there is a chance that the cake will get a little dry. The syrup prevents this.

When I make this whipped cream cake for special occasions, I usually make it the night before and don’t use the trembler syrup. Usually friends and family eat the whole cake and there are no leftovers.

And then a little bit more about the cake filling, the jam I mean. If you want to go for the classic flavors, you choose strawberry jam. For the cake in the picture, I had chosen a jam made from several kinds of red fruits, but you can basically use any jam you like.

For the whipped cream I use just normal whipping cream as there aren’t a lot of options in the Netherlands, but if you have access to heavy cream that’s an even better option.

Decorating the Cake

To decorate the cake, use hazelnut bresilienne (also known as nougatine). These are toasted pieces of hazelnut with a caramelized layer of sugar around them. Not only beautiful for decoration, but also incredibly delicious. For a change of pace, you can substitute other types of nuts for the crunchy topping. Pecans, for example, are a good substitute.

Another way to decorate a whipped cream cake is to pipe swirls of whipped cream onto the top of the cake and then stick pieces of fresh fruit into them. Kiwi or tangerine slices really belong here. For this version I used kiwi and strawberry, delicious!

Optionally, you can use chocolate decorations (store bought or homemade) to decorate the cake. Or you can order a festive and edible photo print online and stick it on the cake.

How do I cover the cake with whipped cream?

After you’ve filled and stacked the cake layers, it’s time to decorate the sides and top of the cream pie with whipped cream. You can use a piping bag or a spatula, whichever comes easiest. Use the spatula to spread the whipped cream evenly on the outside of the cake. Be sure to save some whipped cream for the swirls on top of the cake.

For the side of the cake, it can be helpful to use a spatula in conjunction with a rotary spatula. You hold the spatula in one place while you gently rotate the turntable.

Finally, decorate the top of the cake with swirls of whipped cream. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and choose a nozzle of your choice (I used a large star nozzle) and hold your piping bag straight over the cake as you start to spray the tufts.

Freezing a cream cake

I do not recommend freezing a cream cake. The whipped cream will dry out and won’t taste as good. However, you can make the sponge layers well in advance and freeze them in an airtight container for up to three months. You can also make the jam and nougatine well in advance and store them until you are ready to make the cake.

That way, you have the cake pieces ready to go, and all you have to do is whip the cream and assemble the cake. It saves time!

A slagroomtaart is probably the most popular Dutch birthday cake there is. Want to make your own Dutch cream cake? It is so easy! In this recipe I will tell you exactly how to bake the cake, fill it and decorate it.

Slagroomtaart recipe

I made my first cream cake in 2015, several years ago now. Its recipe has not been published on the blog until today, but has been in my first baking book since 2016. I have been asked for my cream cake recipe quite often.

Fortunately, I know that many home bakers had my book at home and could just make the cake, but now it’s time to share this delicious cream cake on the blog!

About the cake base

The cake base of a slagroomtaart is very light and airy, we also call it ‘biscuit’ or ‘kapsel’. Think sponge cake or chiffon cake. you could use some lemon zest or spices to have some extra flavor in the cake.​

We use this cake base for a lot of Dutch cake recipes, but the cream cake is definitely the most popular one. In this video, you can see how soft and fluffy the cream cake is:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Laura Kieft | In Laura’s Bakery (@inlaurasbakery)

Dutch Cream Cake Filling

The base of the cream cake is filled with jam and whipped cream. Optionally, a syrup can be brushed on the cake layers to moisten the cake or add flavor. If you make the cake several days in advance, there is a chance that the cake will get a little dry. The syrup prevents this.

When I make this whipped cream cake for special occasions, I usually make it the night before and don’t use the trembler syrup. Usually friends and family eat the whole cake and there are no leftovers.

And then a little bit more about the cake filling, the jam I mean. If you want to go for the classic flavors, you choose strawberry jam. For the cake in the picture, I had chosen a jam made from several kinds of red fruits, but you can basically use any jam you like.

For the whipped cream I use just normal whipping cream as there aren’t a lot of options in the Netherlands, but if you have access to heavy cream that’s an even better option.

Decorating the Cake

To decorate the cake, use hazelnut bresilienne (also known as nougatine). These are toasted pieces of hazelnut with a caramelized layer of sugar around them. Not only beautiful for decoration, but also incredibly delicious. For a change of pace, you can substitute other types of nuts for the crunchy topping. Pecans, for example, are a good substitute.

Another way to decorate a whipped cream cake is to pipe swirls of whipped cream onto the top of the cake and then stick pieces of fresh fruit into them. Kiwi or tangerine slices really belong here. For this version I used kiwi and strawberry, delicious!

Optionally, you can use chocolate decorations (store bought or homemade) to decorate the cake. Or you can order a festive and edible photo print online and stick it on the cake.

How do I cover the cake with whipped cream?

After you’ve filled and stacked the cake layers, it’s time to decorate the sides and top of the cream pie with whipped cream. You can use a piping bag or a spatula, whichever comes easiest. Use the spatula to spread the whipped cream evenly on the outside of the cake. Be sure to save some whipped cream for the swirls on top of the cake.

For the side of the cake, it can be helpful to use a spatula in conjunction with a rotary spatula. You hold the spatula in one place while you gently rotate the turntable.

Finally, decorate the top of the cake with swirls of whipped cream. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and choose a nozzle of your choice (I used a large star nozzle) and hold your piping bag straight over the cake as you start to spray the tufts.

Freezing a cream cake

I do not recommend freezing a cream cake. The whipped cream will dry out and won’t taste as good. However, you can make the sponge layers well in advance and freeze them in an airtight container for up to three months. You can also make the jam and nougatine well in advance and store them until you are ready to make the cake.

That way, you have the cake pieces ready to go, and all you have to do is whip the cream and assemble the cake. It saves time!

What a beautiful and incredibly delicious cake this turned out to be! An apple cake with both apples through the batter and slices on top for decoration. A new favorite among my apple and cake recipes.

Apple loaf cake recipe

This apple cake recipe is just like a regular vanilla cake, but you add apples to it. This not only gives the cake a delicious flavor, but also makes it nice and moist. The apple slices on top are for decoration, but they make the cake even more pleasing to the eye.

For best results, place the apple slices on top of the cake and gently press them into the batter. And don’t you just love it?

Old fashioned apple cake

Whether you can officially call this an old-fashioned apple pie, I dare not say. But just like my grandmother’s apple pie, you may remember this cake, in a slightly different form or not, from back in the day. Old-fashioned or not, it still tastes great!

Baking an apple loaf cake

You don’t need much for this apple cake recipe. You can start with the standard cake ingredients and some apples. I prefer to use Jonagold or Goudreinet apples for baking. They have a great flavor and texture for baking. Of course you can use other apples, but the result may be slightly different.

More baking recipes with apples

In the fall and winter, I always have plenty of apples around the house to bake with. An apple cinnamon cake remains a favorite, but there are other delicious apple recipes. As you will see, I like to combine apples with cinnamon in my recipes, a perfect flavor combination.

These are some of my favorite apple baking recipes:

• Apple cinnamon yogurt muffins
• Traditional Dutch apple pie
• No bake apple caramel cheesecakes
• Appelflappen (Dutch apple turnovers)

Dutch Bokkenpootjes; it doesn’t get more typical Dutch than these delicious cookies. They are essentially two almond meringue cookies, filled with a cream filling and then dipped in dark chocolate. You’ve never heard of this delicious Dutch treat? They are worth making!

What is a Dutch bokkenpootje?

In the Netherlands these cookies are pretty well known and I don’t think anyone ever questions why they are called “bokkenpootje”. Literally translated that would be “goat’s feet”. Sounds a bit odd for a cookie right? But if you think about it and with a little bit of imagination, they do resemble goat feet.

But the name is actually a little bit more sinister. It represents the feet of the devil. And eating one such bokkenpootje would protect a recently deceased loved one from evil in the afterlife. But no worries, you can eat these any time of day (or night) and no need for anyone to die either.

Baking Dutch bokkenpootjes had been on my baking list for a long time. I love them! If you’re a fan of almond flavor these almond meringue cookies will be your new favorite. For each cookie you need two almond meringue cookies and they are then sandwiched with a cream in the middle. The outside of the meringue cookies get a thin layer of flaked almonds and the ends of the cookies are dipped in melted chocolate.

The almond meringue cookies you buy in the grocery stores are usually a little smaller than the ones I have made. Making them a little bigger is extra tasty and easier to work with too.

What do you need for baking almond meringue cookies?

In order for the best cookies you need to make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature to start with. You need the following ingredients for the cookies:

• egg whites
• granulated white sugar – make sure you use fine sugar
• almond flour – almond meal
• all purpose flour
• flaked almonds

First you whip the egg whites with the 125 grams of sugar to stiff peaks. Now add the almond flour and the regular all purpose flour (pass through a sieve if you want to make sure there are no lumps) and gently fold it through the egg whites until it is well combined.

Now fill a piping bag with a large plain tip of around 1 cm Ø (0.4 inch) attached with the almond mixture. Take a large baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe almond meringue cookies which measure roughly 9 centimeter (or 3.5 inch). Keep in mind that you will need 24 cookies to make a final 12 Dutch bokkenpootjes.

Once you have piped all your almond mixture, sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top. Rub them between your fingers to make them slightly smaller and sprinkle over the cookies. Bake in the oven at top- and bottom heat for around 20 minutes or until lightly golden. The oven temperature should be at 350˚F (180˚C).

Making the cream filling

Once the almond meringue cookies are made it is time to move on to making your cream filling. For this you whip soft butter, vanilla extract, icing sugar and a little bit of double cream together. Whip till it is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a piping bag and cut the tip of the bag. Or alternatively use a small nozzle.

Assemble the cookies you baked and make sure you select them by size. Placing the equally sized cookies together. Pipe some of the cream onto one half of the cookies and place the other half on top.

Dipping biscuits in chocolate

Now in order to make the final bokkenpootje, you need to dip it in melted chocolate. If you know anything about chocolate, you know that it is very important to temper the chocolate first. If you don’t, you will end up with a white film on top of the chocolate. They will still taste good but it is just not so appealing.

Some other advantages of tempering the chocolate; it’s super crunchy and has that beautiful ‘crack’ when you bite into a cookie. It is glossy and beautiful, it shines and – even better – you can hold the chocolate without it melting. Obviously you can’t hold it forever, but it does prevent chocolate fingers.

How to temper chocolate

In a nutshell, tempering chocolate involves heating the chocolate (which breaks down the sugar and cocoa butter crystals) and then lowering the temperature of the chocolate (which repairs those crystals). This gives you a chance to dip a tasty almond meringue cookie in the chocolate in the meantime, like these pretty Dutch bokkenpootjes.

Chocolate should always be tempered with a thermometer, so you can be sure it’s done right. But there is a way to do it without a thermometer, called the inoculation method. And this is my favorite method, because it allows anyone to temper chocolate at home.

You divide the amount of chocolate you want to melt into three parts. You melt two of these at a time in a double boiler (au bain marie).

When the chocolate is completely melted, add the last bit of chocolate. This will melt from the heat of the chocolate that has already melted, immediately bringing the temperature back down (and repairing the crystals).

Upper lip

Once the chocolate is melted, check the temperature. Since you won’t be using a thermometer, you’ll have to rely on yourself with a simple trick. Dip your finger into the chocolate and dab it on your upper lip. Your skin is much more sensitive here, so it acts as a thermometer. Does the chocolate feel slightly cool? Then it’s good and you can keep working with it! If it is still a little warm, continue to stir gently, checking the temperature of the chocolate from time to time.

Some chocolate connoisseurs will raise their eyebrows and call me crazy (or maybe they will anyway) because this is not the official method. To be absolutely sure, use a thermometer. However, I learnt this trick from a chocolatier at the Baking Museum and it works every time (after practicing a few times). And since not every home baker has a (sugar) thermometer in the kitchen drawer, I am happy to share this tip with you!

BAKING TIP: To melt the chocolate au bain-marie (in a double boiler), you will need a heat-resistant bowl. A glass or metal mixing bowl will work well.

More Dutch cookies

Of course, there are many more typical Dutch cookies at Laura’s Bakery. Have a look at these recipes as well:

• Stroopwafels
• Gevulde koeken (Dutch almond based filled cookies)
• Dutch cinnamon rolls  (Zeeuwse bolussen)
• Eierkoeken (Dutch egg cakes)

Or check out all the Dutch recipes.

The perfect base recipe for vanilla cupcakes. With this easy cupcake recipe you have the perfect starting point for all your cupcakes. Add a vanilla frosting or any other kind of topping to your liking.

What are cupcakes?

Cupcakes are simply small (one-person) cakes baked in cupcake liners or in a cupcake tin. In the past, cupcakes were served at high tea and baked in teacups, which is probably where the name ‘cupcake’ comes from.

Instead of a scale most people also used a measuring cup, which is another reason for the name. While a lot of people still use cups for measuring dry and wet ingredients, for the most accurate result I would always suggest using a weighing scale instead.

Cupcakes are the perfect little treat to bake for many different occasions. From baby showers to birthday parties and whenever you feel like having a small treat. Decorating them in a variety of different ways is also great and a fun activity with kids (or adults!) as well.

How to make cupcakes?

Making a basic vanilla cupcakes recipe is a good start if you want to learn how to make the perfect cupcake. This cupcake recipe makes exactly 12 cupcakes in a regular cupcake tin. I used my vanilla loaf cake recipe as the base of this recipe but I have adjust the quantities to match the tin and changed some of the proportions.

Another change is the fact that these vanilla cupcakes use less sugar. While you will eat your regular loaf cake usually without frosting, most cupcakes will contain a frosting like a vanilla buttercream frosting or a chocolate frosting. Since those are also quite sweet, it makes sense to make the cupcake batter less sweet.

What ingredients do you need?

The recipe calls for simple ingredients which you will be able to find in most grocery stores. I list them below for easy reference:

• Self-raising flour – This is essentially all purpose flour combined with baking powder.
• Granulated sugar – I like to use a superfine sugar.
• Vanilla extract – can be replaced by vanilla bean paste or vanilla sugar.
• Unsalted butter – at room temperature.
• Eggs – 4 medium sized, which weighs about 50 grams each.

Other than that you need a large mixing bowl or use a stand mixer to mix the batter. An electric mixer will work as well.

The process

You start by adding the butter, sugar and vanilla together in the bowl of the stand mixer or whatever other large bowl you’re using. Mix this together until the color starts to get light and the texture creamy.

Now add the eggs one by one and make sure to mix the batter in between until the egg is fully absorbed into the batter. Now add the self-raising flour and the salt bit by bit until fully mixed. And that’s it. Batter is ready!

Now all you have to do is to add the vanilla cupcake batter into the cupcake liners. You can scoop the batter into the liners with a spoon but an ice cream scoop is a handy accessory to use for equal measured cupcakes.

Pop them into the preheated oven (350˚F or 175˚C. Top and bottom heat/conventional oven) for around 20 minutes and they are ready! Keep the oven door closed until they are baked.

Make sure to place them on a cooling rack before adding buttercream or another frosting.

What other cupcake flavors can I make?

As far as cupcake recipes go, this is the perfect base recipe with which you can create endless flavors. Think about adding some chocolate chips to the batter or a tablespoon of cocoa powder for a chocolate batter.

Or vary the flavor by adding a different kind of sugar, like brown sugar or coconut sugar. The fluffy texture of these cupcakes is perfect for many different variations. I will soon be sharing lots of different flavors.

Decorating the cupcakes

Baking the vanilla cupcakes is step 1 of the process. Step 2 – and the most fun – is to decorate them. You don’t need to decorate them if you don’t want to. They are delicious just as they are but any cupcake will look better with a pretty frosting on top. How the frosting looks is also greatly depending on which frosting tip you use. So you can definitely vary that as well.

And who doesn’t love a pretty decorated cupcake? You can decorate with buttercream, vegan buttercream or with fondant or marzipan. You can fill them with jam or fruit or decorate them in another way.

The most basic frosting is simply a glaze of icing sugar combined with a little bit of lemon juice (or water). Takes no time at all and is always tasty. Just drizzle it over the cooled cupcakes Or try and make these strawberry cupcakes. Adding some fresh fruit on top of the frosting is delicious and looks good too!

For anyone who loves the fresh flavors of summer, you’ll want to make these easy lemon bars! These fresh summer cookie bars with a lemon curd-like layer are impossible to resist.

Best Lemon Bars

As early as spring, I start to crave summer flavors and use lemon in many of my recipes. Lemon bars are the perfect recipe to make at this time of year. And in the fall, I still can’t quite let go of those summer flavors. For those who want to hold on to that summer feeling a little longer, or for those who just love anything with lemon flavor, you have found the perfect recipe.

I first came across the concept of lemon bars years ago on Pinterest. After trying several recipes, I finally created my own version. In this recipe, you make a layer of shortbread with a fresh, creamy lemon layer on top that is reminiscent of lemon curd. If you love lemon curd as much as I do, you will definitely approve of these lemon bars! Because you bake the lemon layer in the oven with the pre baked shortbread, it blends in with the cookie base, making it incredibly delicious.

Lemon cookie bars

Do you love lemon? Then these lemon bars are sure to please. The cookie base is shortbread, and on top of that is a creamy lemon filling that tastes like lemon curd, but is a little different in terms of ingredients.

For example, there is no butter in the lemon filling, but there is a good amount of eggs, which provide the binding and firmness. The result is a delicious lemon bar that is perfect for high tea, a picnic or as a dessert. Also great for bake sales with a nice glass of lemonade.

About the ingredients

You don’t need much to make these classic lemon bars, but sometimes when a recipe is easy, you’ll want to be extra sure if you use the right ingredients. So I’ll make a quick list of the ingredients for this lemon bar recipe.

• Unsalted butter: I always use unsalted butter for baking recipes. This way you can decide for yourself how much salt is needed in a recipe. And don’t forget: unsalted butter makes a perfect buttery shortbread crust for this recipe.
• Sugar: You need this for the shortbread and the lemon layer. I always use fine granulated sugar for baking. It dissolves quicker than regular granulated sugar and it gives the perfect structure to the end result. If you can’t find fine granulated sugar, it’s perfectly fine to use regular sugar. The fine sugar just has my preference.
• Flour: Also for the shortbread and a small bit for the lemon layer. You’re perfectly fine with all purpose flour for this recipe. You could use a gluten free flour if you want to make gluten free lemon bars, but I haven’t tested this myself. But I do know some of my follower did and were very pleased with the result.
• Eggs: For the lemon layer I used 4 medium eggs. A medium eggs weighs about 50 grams without their shell.
• Lemons: The most important part of this recipe. I just use regular fresh lemons, no need for special types of lemon. You will need the lemon zest and the fresh lemon juice of both lemons for the lemon layer in this recipe.
• Powdered sugar: For the finishing touch: sprinkle some powdered sugar on top of the lemon bars right before you serve them.

At last: all ingredients need to be on room temperature before you start making this easy recipe.

More Recipes with Lemon

As I mentioned before, I love to bake with lemon. If you love lemon bars, you will love my lemon curd! Everything is delicious with homemade lemon curd. I use it in a lot of desserts to, I really love lemon desserts.

Another delicious recipe is my perfect lemon loaf. I love this recipe and make it every summer, preferably several times.

It’s like a little apple pie combined with caramel cheesecake. With this recipe, you can easily make delicious no bake apple caramel cheesecakes dessert.

How to make individual no bake cheesecakes?

Start with small glasses or glass jars. These are really cute. You build the dessert in layers, starting by crushed cookies. Top that with your cheesecake mixture and finish it with your topping. Warm caramelized apple for this recipe. It’s really easy to make small one person cheesecakes as you can see!

You can prepare this cheesecake dessert very well, which I think is perfect. Put the prepared dessert in the refrigerator and take it out when needed.

However, you can also prepare the base (cookie + cheesecake layer), and make the apple mixture only just before you want to serve the dessert. This way, you have little cheesecakes with warm apples as a topping. Delicious!

In the last case, you can prepare the apple layer as well. Add a little lemon juice to keep the apple pieces fresh and store them in the refrigerator until you need them. I made them this way for Christmas and it worked perfect.

Apple caramel cheesecake recipe

For this dessert, I decided to first heat the apple in a pan and caramelize it with some sugar. Warm apple pieces work incredibly well in a dessert. In this case, I combined it with whipped cream, cookies and cream cheese.

For the cookies, I chose Bastogne cookies, which are a kind of spice cookies. It’s hard to find this particular cookie outside The Netherlands and a few other European countries, but any spice cookie will do. Biscoff cookies are a good alternative for example.

I love to make healthy snacks. I always bake large batches and then freeze them so I can always grab something tasty when I get a craving. These applesauce muffins are always in my freezer. It’s a great recipe that is often used in this household.

You don’t need any sugar or butter. I just added a bit of oil to make really moist muffins. They are not hard to make, so add them to your collection of easy recipes!

Applesauce muffins without sugar

These muffins are sweetened with applesauce, so they have no added sugar. I always use (homemade) unsweetened applesauce for baking. I will share my recipe for homemade applesauce soon. Don’t have enough time to make it yourself? Store-bought applesauce works perfectly fine. If you want to keep them as healthy as possible, I would advice to buy the unsweetened kind.

Because there is no sugar in them, they are not very sweet in taste, which may take some getting used to if you have a sweet tooth. I got used to it quickly and everyone who tried it liked it very much.

Do you like sweet applesauce muffins? Then of course you can add some brown sugar to the batter. Coconut sugar is possible as well.

Baking applesauce muffins

This recipe makes 8 small muffins, perfect as a small treat or snack. I bake them in regular-size muffins cups. I love to use silicone muffin liners for this recipe, so they won’t stick.

Don’t want to make a small amount of muffins? You can easily double or even triple the ingredients and bake a large batch of healthy muffins.

How to store applesauce muffins

After baking these healthy muffins, place them on a wire rack and let them cool completely. Store them in an airtight container once they are on room temperature. On the kitchen counter, they will stay fresh for about 4-5 days. If it’s summer or you live in a warmer climate, it’s possible they stay fresh a little less longer.

You could also freeze your homemade applesauce muffins. You can keep them for up to 3 months in the freezer. Place some pieces of parchment paper between the muffins so they don’t stick to each other. This way it’s easy to grab one as a snack. Just let the muffin thaw on the counter for about an hour.

How to flavor the muffin batter

I love to make small changes to the original recipe and It almost never happens I make recipes exactly the same the second time. I will share some variations which I have tried with this recipe:

• Add some spices for apple spice cupcakes. I really like to use my speculaas spice mix, add 2 teaspoons to the batter.
• Do you like the taste of you muffins a bit fresher? Add some lemon juice! I added about 2 teaspoons once and it was really nice.
• Apple and cinnamon is one of the best flavor combinations if you ask me, so often I add just some ground cinnamon. And if I have it on hand: sprinkle some cinnamon flavored pearl sugar on top. Believe me: cinnamon applesauce muffins are the best!

Making your own braided bread really doesn’t have to be difficult. Today I am sharing an easy braided bread recipe with you, where you will end up braiding and baking three strands of bread dough into a beautiful loaf.

Of course, this braided bread is not only beautiful, but also heartily delicious. The recipe is from Levine van Doorne’s Dutch book, “vlechtbrood uit eigen oven.”

How to make braided bread

When I made this bread, I immediately realized that it’s not that difficult to make braided bread. Of course, you can make it as difficult as possible by using a challenging bread recipe and braiding with many strands. I kept it simple and opted for an easy bread dough and a simple 3-strand braid that still looks impressive.

So I would definitely call this an easy braided bread recipe and I hope this clears up any doubts you may have. After all, making braided bread is a lot of fun because you get to pull such a special looking loaf out of the oven. And I can tell you that it tastes really good with a slice of cheese on top and some homemade egg salad. Or just with butter, because the bread tastes great on its own, too.

BAKING TIP! Looking for a really easy bread recipe? Try these crescent cinnamon rolls!

Braided bread recipe

What do you need to make braided bread? Let me walk you through the ingredients:

• Wheat flour. I personally use regular wheat flour from the grocery store. Levine’s book suggests substituting half of it for whole wheat flour, along with 10-30 grams of extra water.
• Instant dry yeast. This is available at the grocery store and does not need to be dissolved in liquid first (as fresh yeast does).
• Salt. Salt is not only an important flavoring agent, but it also helps form the gluten network and provides a nicer crust color.
• Sugar. This is good for the yeast, but can be omitted for a savory bread.
• Butter. If you want to bake bread with a crispy crust, omit butter or any other fat.
• Water. Moisture is necessary to build a good gluten network, but it should never be warmer than 20-25 °C (68-77 °F) as this can kill the yeast.
• Milk. The same goes for milk, except that milk makes the crumb softer. I prefer whole milk.
• Egg. The addition of egg makes this bread taste a little more luxurious than breads without an egg.

DID YOU KNOW that you can buy a baking pan in the shape of a braided bread?

Years ago, I used to make chocolate-covered Oreos on a regular basis. I decorated them as mummies, bees, ladybugs, and many other fun shapes. It was always a challenge to make them into Oreo pops because my lollipop sticks were just a little thicker than the filling between the Oreos.

Luckily, I have a simple trick to make sure your Oreo cookies don’t break when you try to make Oreo pops.

Chocolate covered Oreos

Oreos with an extra layer of chocolate, I find it a treat. You can keep it simple by dipping an Oreo in milk chocolate, for example, and sprinkling some sprinkles or chopped nuts on top.

I really enjoy decorating chocolate-covered Oreos. I will show you some examples later. You can make them for all kinds of holidays and other festive occasions.

Place the chocolate-covered Oreos on a tray and give your guests a delicious treat. Also very cute: a bag of decorated Oreos to give away.

Oreo pops

As you will see later, I like to poke a stick into my chocolate Oreos to make Oreo pops. I use lollipop sticks to do this. And to make them extra fun, I put a paper straw around them.

These paper straws come in all kinds of colors and patterns, so you can always pick a straw that matches your Oreo pop.

How to make Oreo pops

As mentioned above, you can easily turn your chocolate Oreos into Oreo Pops. Let me tell you how I do it. With this technique, the cookies won’t break and certainly won’t come off.

1. First, twist the Oreo cookies apart.
2. Using a knife, make a small hole in the filling where the stick will fit.
3. Place the cake pop stick in the indentation and spread the removed filling around the stick to hold it in place.
4. Melt some of the chocolate or candy melts you will be decorating your Oreos with and pipe/spoon it over the Oreo filling.
5. Place the other cookie on top and press down gently. Just let the chocolate set and your cake pop will be stuck firmly between the two cookies.

How easy is that! If you follow this simple step-by-step plan, your Oreo will be firmly attached to the stick and will not come loose when you dip the Oreo in the chocolate afterwards.

Decorating chocolate covered Oreos

You can decorate Oreos with a few sprinkles or turn them into a real work of art. Decorate Oreo pops for Halloween, Easter, Valentine’s Day and other holidays.

Below are Bee Oreo Pops and Ladybug Oreo Pops. For these Oreo pops, I used yellow, red and black candy melts. The bee’s face and stripes were made with dark chocolate.

I used Wilton’s Candy Eyeballs for the eyes. The bee has wings made from half almonds.

Oreo pops figures

I have more examples of Oreo Pops characters. How fun are these mummies for Halloween? And the chicks are perfect for Easter.

For the mummy Oreo pops, I used white candy melts. If you use white chocolate, your mummies will not be completely white because the chocolate is more of a cream color.

Cover the eyes with chocolate first, then pipe the strands over the Oreo pops. Don’t forget to put some chocolate over the eyes for the best effect.

I personally used white candy melts to dip the Oreos in, but you can also buy the ready-made white chocolate covered Oreos.

I used yellow and orange candy melts for the chicks. You can also color the white chocolate yourself. Just make sure you use oil-based dyes or the colors won’t be pretty.

Molds for chocolate covered Oreos

Do you find it difficult to decorate to your own taste? There are also all kinds of cute molds for chocolate covered Oreos! I got mine for Christmas, but they come in all sorts of designs.

Or get a simple mold for a good base that you can then decorate to your liking.

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5 from 2 votes

How to make Oreo pops

As mentioned above, you can easily turn your chocolate Oreos into Oreo Pops. Let me tell you how I do it. With this technique, the cookies won't break and certainly won't come off.

Instructions

• First, twist the Oreo cookies apart.
• Using a knife, make a small hole in the filling where the stick will fit.
• Place the cake pop stick in the indentation and spread the removed filling around the stick to hold it in place.
• Melt some of the chocolate or candy melts you will be decorating your Oreos with and pipe/spoon it over the Oreo filling.
• Place the other cookie on top and press down gently. Just let the chocolate set and your cake pop will be stuck firmly between the two cookies.
• How easy is that! If you follow this simple step-by-step plan, your Oreo will be firmly attached to the stick and will not come loose when you dip the Oreo in the chocolate afterwards.

A tasty and easy recipe for pastry cream or crème pâtissière. One of those great basic recipes that you can use for endless different recipes.

What is pastry cream?

To start with a simple explanation on what pastry cream is; it’s essentially a type of custard that is thick enough to hold its shape. It’s delicious and can be used for different kinds of fillings. The recipe below is my favorite vanilla pastry cream but there is so much you can do with it.

And the good news is; it is incredibly easy to make. Sure you can buy a ready made bag of powder in the grocery store but trust me when I say it is so much tastier if you make it yourself!

Once you’ve made your own, you won’t be so quick to use a ready-made mix again. Not only is it much tastier, it is also incredibly easy to make.

BAKING TIP: As described at the end of the recipe, the pastry cream will keep for several days in an airtight container.

How to make crème patissière

The recipe for making your own pastry cream is super easy. You use pretty simple ingredients and I will soon be giving you lots of ways to use pastry cream in your favorite recipes too. Cream puffs are just one example of what you can do.

You need the following ingredients:

• sugar – I use fine white granulated sugar
• vanilla sugar – you can use a bit of vanilla bean paste or a vanilla pod as well
• egg yolks – I use medium eggs
• flour – I use all purpose flour
• milk – I use whole milk for the best flavor

First you make your egg mixture by splitting the whole eggs and separating yolk from egg white. Take a medium bowl and whisk sugar, vanilla sugar and egg yolks together. You’re not using the egg whites in this recipe but you can save them for making a meringue later.

Now take a medium saucepan and add the milk. Gently heat the milk until it is hot. Now add a little bit of the hot milk into your egg yolk mixture and whisk till it is incorporated and smooth. While you keep stirring add the remaining milk gradually until you have a smooth milk mixture.

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and turn up to medium-high heat. Keep stirring while you bring it to the boil and keep stirring until it has a custard consistency. Pour the hot pastry cream into a clean large bowl and cover the top of the cream with a piece of plastic wrap. That way you prevent a film from forming on top of the pastry cream. Leave to cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge to cool completely.

Check the full recipe in the recipe card below. Some of my favorite desserts like this strawberry custard tart are made with pastry cream!

How to add different flavors to the pastry cream

Once you’ve mastered making this delicious vanilla flavor pastry cream you can vary with adding flavors. You can make a lemon pastry cream or a chocolate cream version for instance. Using chocolate milk instead of regular milk will give it a nice chocolate flavor.

Adding a bit of lemon zest will give it a subtle lemon flavor and there are more ways to add flavors. A common used method is to add some extract. Almond extract is a classic but I will be sharing more tips on flavoring the pastry cream later.

Strawberry season has been in full swing for a while now, so now is the time to take advantage of it and get into the kitchen with fresh strawberries. I made my favorite strawberry custard tart. I love how delicious a summer strawberry custard pie is.

Easy strawberry custard tart

Of course the tart is filled with fresh pastry cream and in addition I used some chopped fresh mint on top. That really gives a special touch to the cake, but you could also substitute the mint for basil.

This strawberry custard pie wasn’t the only thing I’ve been baking with strawberries lately. If there is a container of strawberries staring at you every day when you open the refrigerator door, plenty of great recipes will come to mind. I can promise you that.

More strawberry recipes

Can’t wait? Then I already have these yummy strawberry recipes for you:

• No-bake strawberry cheesecake bites
• Strawberry milkshake

How to make a custard tart?

A custard tart is one of my favorite pies. The tart is made of a shortbread crust filled with delicious pastry cream. You can fill the custard tart any way you like.

For this recipe, I used strawberries, of course; after all, a strawberry pie needs them. But if you feel like varying, you can easily replace the strawberries with another kind of fruit.

I once made a rainbow tart by using all kinds of different fruits. It was very popular with everyone!

Are you already following Laura’s Bakery on Instagram? There I not only share every new recipe that comes online, but also peeks behind the scenes and fun video reels with recipes, baking tips or how to’s!

A delicious recipe for making your no bake cherry cheesecake (Dutch MonChou pie). This pie is made without an oven and has a tasty Bastogne biscuit base. Bastogne cookies are originally from Belgium and while super tasty, you can easily replace them for another kind of cookie you like. Graham crackers is a classic of course so that will work just fine.

Making No bake cherry cheesecake

The first time I made this recipe back in 2014 I wasn’t a big fan of MonChou or cream cheese in desserts in general. Over time I have grown to love and appreciate cream cheese in recipes but in the beginning I found it really weird to have a sweet dish with cheese in it.

In fact, thanks in part to the delicious biscuit base, I am in love with this no bake cherry cheesecake recipe. It has a lovely creamy cheesecake filling and in combination with the cherries it’s the perfect summer dessert.

Ever since my first no bake cherry cheesecake recipe I make it on a regular basis. It’s incredible easy and a perfect crowd pleaser.

Baking tip: I like to use a loose-bottom pie tin for this type of no bake dessert. This makes it easy to remove the Dutch MonChou pie from the tin and the tin is easy to clean.

What is MonChou?

To first explain a bit about the origin of MonChou. It was originally made by a company in the Netherlands called Friesland Campina. They marketed a cream cheese in small square packages and called it monchou. It’s not made anywhere else, but you can very easily replace it with any other kind of firm cream cheese. So if you want to make this no bake cherry cheesecake you can absolutely do that.

MonChou can be found online in a few different stores but it might be easier swapping for another full-fat cream cheese filling. Make sure it is a firm cream cheese and not too soft or the cheesecake will not hold.

Cherry season

Summer roughly coincides with cherry season, which I love. If you’re making this during cherry season, it’s fun to make your own cherry pie filling. There is nothing wrong with the store-bought stuff, but there is nothing like making it yourself.

If cherries are out of season, you can still make a homemade cherry filling. Instead of fresh you can use a can of cherry pie filling or use canned cherries (with juice)

Making the no bake cherry cheesecake

Making the cherry cheesecake starts by making the crust first. You place the cookies of your choice in a food processor and grind them into small crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix the two together. A package of Bastogne cookies that I used here is 260 grams (9.2 ounce). If you’re using graham crackers or another type of cookie you might have to vary the butter content. Make sure all crumbs have some butter.

Press the cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of the tin firmly. You can use a springform pan for this but I like to use a pie dish with a loose bottom. This makes it easier to release the cheesecake once cooled. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Making the cherry pie filling

For making this easy no bake cherry cheesecake you need tins of cherry pie filling. It’s easiest to buy this ready made. You need roughly 800 grams (1.8 pound) or two tins of the cherry pie filling.

Next step is to prepared the cream cheese mixture. First you whip the double cream or heavy whipping cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar to stiff peaks. You can replace the double cream with cool whip to make the cake firmer or if you do not have very firm cream cheese. Set the cream aside and take a separate bowl for making the cream cheese filling.

Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla sugar and mix till you have a creamy filling. You can use a hand mixer to do that or use the mixing bowl of the food processor. Fold the whipped cream through the cream cheese with a rubber spatula.

Take the tin out of the fridge and pour the filling on top of the buttery graham cracker (or Bastogne cookie) crust. Smooth the surface and let it sit in the fridge for at least two hours or until it is set. Cover with plastic wrap.

Once set add the cherry pie filling on top of the cream cheese layer. And the perfect dessert is ready! It is one of my favorite no bake desserts. It’s also a great recipe to make mini cheesecakes. It’s a favorite here at family gatherings or for any special occasions. It doesn’t take much time at all to make it and although you do have to wait for the cheesecake to set, that is not active time!

Are you a fan of cheesecake?

You might want to try these recipes below as well:

• No bake strawberry cheesecake bites
• Strawberry cheesecake cookies
• No bake apple caramel cheesecakes