Dutch Mergpijpjes (Marzipan Sponge Cakes)
Mergpijpjes are delicious little cakes that are definitely worth making yourself at least once. They aren’t the easiest treats to make, but homemade ones taste so much better than store-bought!
Servings: 6 large mergpijpjes
Ingredients
- 3 medium eggs
- 100 grams superfine sugar
- 6 grams vanilla sugar
- 75 grams all-purpose flour
- 25 grams cornstarch
For the filling
- 100 ml milk
- 1 egg yolk
- 20 grams superfine sugar
- 5 grams vanilla sugar
- 10 grams custard powder
- Strawberry jam
- 125 grams unsalted butter
- 35 grams powdered sugar
For the decoration
- 500 grams marzipan
- Powdered sugar
- 180 grams dark chocolate
Instructions
- Start by making the sponge cake. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla sugar until pale, fluffy and airy. Mix for about 10 minutes in a stand mixer at medium-high speed.
- Sift the flour and cornstarch and add them to the mixture. Gently fold them in, taking care not to knock out all the air you have incorporated. The batter is ready once all the flour has been incorporated.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the sponge batter over it to a thickness of about 1-2 cm. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350˚F (conventional oven) for 20 minutes. The sponge is done when you gently press the surface and it springs back.
- Leave the sponge to cool underneath a clean tea towel so it doesn’t dry out. Meanwhile, prepare the pastry cream.
- Place the sugar, egg yolk and custard powder in a bowl and whisk until smooth. If the mixture seems too thick to combine, leave it for a moment. It will become more fluid after sitting briefly.
- Pour the milk into a saucepan and slowly bring it to a boil. As soon as you see bubbles appearing around the edges, turn off the heat. Gradually add the warm milk to the egg mixture. You can pour it in slowly or add it with a large ladle. Keep whisking continuously while adding the milk.
- Once all the milk has been added and combined with the egg mixture, pour everything back into the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil again over medium heat while continuing to whisk. As soon as the cream starts to boil and thicken, remove the pan from the heat. Continue whisking thoroughly for another minute. The pastry cream will continue to thicken.
- Pour the pastry cream onto a plate and cover it directly with plastic wrap. Leave to cool.
- Trim the cooled sponge into an 18 x 30 cm/7 x 12 inch rectangle. Cut this in half to create two rectangles measuring 15 x 18 cm/ 6 x 7 inch each. Spread one half with strawberry jam.
- Make the buttercream filling by beating the butter with the powdered sugar. Once combined, add the pastry cream. Beat the buttercream for about 10 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag and pipe about two-thirds of it onto the other half of the sponge. Place the two sponge halves together so that both fillings are sandwiched between the layers. Press down gently and place the filled sponge in the refrigerator to firm up. Refrigerate the remaining buttercream as well.
- Dust your work surface with powdered sugar and roll out the marzipan into a long sheet measuring at least 20 cm/8 inch wide and 60 cm/24 inch long. Remove the filled sponge from the refrigerator and cut it into 6 equal pieces measuring approximately 9 x 5 cm/3.5 x 2 inch. Use a sharp knife and a gentle sawing motion so you don’t press down on the cakes and squeeze out the filling.
- Spread the remaining buttercream over the sheet of marzipan and cut the sheet in half lengthwise. You should now have two long strips, each at least 60 cm/24 inch long and 10 cm/4 inch wide. Trim a small piece from the bottom of each strip so you have a straight edge to start rolling from. Roll each filled piece of sponge tightly in the marzipan, making sure the seam ends up underneath. Cut the marzipan from the long strip after wrapping each cake so you can be sure you have enough marzipan for every mergpijpje.
- Now for the trick. If you find rolling the cakes difficult, simply fold the marzipan over the top and sides of each mergpijpje and leave the bottom uncovered. Once the ends have been dipped in chocolate, nobody will notice unless they pick one up. This is also a useful trick if you prefer a little less marzipan.
- For the final step, melt 120 grams/4.23 oz of the chocolate using a double boiler. When the chocolate is almost completely melted, remove it from the heat. Add the remaining chocolate and keep stirring until the chocolate no longer feels warm when you test a tiny amount against the inside of your lip.
- Dip one end of each mergpijpje into the chocolate and leave it to set on a piece of parchment paper. Once you’ve dipped the last one, start again with the first mergpijpje and dip the other end in chocolate. This is the cleanest way to work. Leave the mergpijpjes to set completely before serving.
How to store
Store the mergpijpjes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let them come to room temperature for a little while before eating.You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator before serving.