Advocaat

Last year I had a lot of fun following an event called L'abbecedario culinario d'Italia - the Culinary ABC of Italy. It was a great event for those interested in the regional food of Italy. This year the concept has been applied to the whole of Europe to create L'abbecedario Culinario della Comunita Europea - a new culinary ABC where each letter of the alphabet has been assigned a traditional dish from a European nation.

The first host is Mony from Gata da Plar and Appeltaart from the Netherlands is the dish that begins this culinary journey.

When thinking about Dutch food the first thing that came to mind was Poffertjes but as I've already posted about them I had to look for something else.

The search ended quickly when I discovered that Advocaat is a traditional Dutch liqueur and that you can easily make it yourself. It's a lot like a really thick Zabaione or eggnog - a mix of egg yolks, sugar and brandy.


Advocaat
[Based on Advocaat of the Devil]

2 egg yolks
50 grams icing sugar
60 mls brandy
It's best to use a mixer fitted with a whisk to achieve a thick and creamy result.

Whisk the egg yolks and icing sugar until creamy and fluffy and doubled in size. With the motor running, drizzle in the brandy a little at a time, ensuring it is well absorbed before adding some more. When all the brandy has been absorbed, pour the mixture into a saucepan and place a a very low flame.

It needs to be a low heat so you don't burn off the alcohol. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and heats through - it's important to quick whisking so you don't end up with boozy scrambled eggs. When it has reached a spoonable stage, remove from the heat.

You can serve it warm or cold - just store it in a sealable container in the fridge.


If you want to find out more about this event and check out the schedule then head over to this post.