ABOUT STROOPWAFELS
History of the Stroopwafel:
Stroopwafel, as it is known in Holland, is a unique type of cookie that has been around for centuries in its' native country the Netherlands. It is a traditional daily treat for the Dutch and is mostly eaten with their morning or afternoon coffee/tea. These delicious caramel cookie waffles (called Stroopwafels by the Dutch) with richly filled chewy c
entres are one of Holland's true specialities. The history of the Stroopwafel goes back to 1784 when a baker from the town Gouda baked a waffle from crumbs and spices and filled it with syrup.... the Stroopwafel was born! In fact the first waffles back then were made of left-over crumbs in the bakery and therefore a popular pastry among the poor. During 1784 the Stroopwafel was only known in Gouda. Nowadays every bakery in Gouda, and there are many, has its' own recipe! The Syrup Waffle (Stroopwafel) is still sold and made the traditional way at local open air markets using cast iron grills. As the delicious scent travels through the markets, the customers line up with their mouths watering. Traditional Syrup Waffles (Stroopwafels) are cooked at a very high temperature on the waffle iron, then sliced in half. A very special caramel syrup is then spread on and the two half 'glued' together again. The best way to eat a Stroopwafel is either just out of the packet, at room temperature by putting it on top of your hot drink, or you can just heat it in the microwave for a few seconds. But the best way to eat them is when they are freshly baked at the markets - the so-called Superwaffles!! Stroopwafel recipes are generally guarded secrets that are passed down from generation to generation . Good recipes are very difficult to find and even if a good recipe is found, there is a tremendous amount of specialised equipment needed to bake a proper Stroopwafel.
