Vlaai: Dutch Pudding Streusel Pie

This pudding streusel pie is a variety of ‘vlaai’, a specialty from the Dutch province of Limburg. Vlaai has a long history: Germanic people baked bread on hot stones and poured honey or fruit juice on top to make it tastier—this was called ‘vlade’. Later in German history, vlaai was baked in monasteries as sacrificial bread. Merchants who traded in both Limburg and across the German border likely brought vlaai to Limburg, where it became traditional for special occasions: birthdays, weddings, and the twice-yearly fair (which included a procession and mass).

About the Tin and Crust

For an authentic vlaai, you need the right tin. Officially, vlaai should be baked in a smooth, shallow pie tin with a diameter of 28-30 cm. Since I used a scalloped pie tin, mine technically cannot be called vlaai. However, I think buying another baking tin is unnecessary; the scalloped tin works fine and the vlaai tastes the same. Then there’s the base. Many recipes use a simple sweet crust, but authentic vlaai requires a sweet yeasted dough base; otherwise it’s just a pie, not vlaai. I suspect people use sweet crust because they think yeast dough is difficult, but I actually find it easier than sweet crust.

About the Filling

Now for the filling. Traditionally, vlaai can be filled with rice pudding and left open on top, filled with fruit (apricots, plums, cherries) and topped with a lattice, or filled with pudding or apples and topped with streusel. Nowadays most bakeries offer other flavors, and some even specialize in vlaai with almost any filling imaginable. A ‘Limburgse vlaai’ is always baked completely with filling and topping; a vlaai base baked first and then filled with mousse or similar is simply called a vlaai. I prefer traditional flavors, so I made a streusel pudding vlaai (in Dutch, ‘kruimelvlaai’ or ‘puddingkruimelvlaai’). The combination of soft, slightly chewy base, creamy smooth pudding filling, and crunchy streusel on top is delicious. Unfortunately, store-bought versions often have rubbery pudding filling and soggy crumbs. Freshly baked, this vlaai has nice crisp crumbs (bake it no more than 1 day in advance). In the picture, my pudding looks quite firm, which makes it easy to cut without oozing, but it tastes like very soft pudding that melts in your mouth. So give this delicious pastry a try, or choose one of the other fillings/toppings (see recipe notes below).

A Big Chunk of Pie

Vlaai is typically cut into 12 portions. Since it’s a large pie, you might divide it into 16 portions, however, many people from Limburg consider this frugal and cut it into 6-8 portions instead.

On special occasions (birthdays, weddings, parties), they buy or bake different flavors and sometimes eat 2, 3, or even 4 portions per person (I wish this were the habit where I live!). You can serve vlaai on a plate with a fork, but since each piece is quite sturdy and easy to pick up, it’s often eaten by hand.

Vlaai: Dutch Pudding Streusel Pie

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5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Ena Scheerstra
• Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 12 slices 1x

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Description

A traditional Dutch sweet yeasted pie base filled with lovely smooth and creamy custard and topped with crunchy streusel.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the Yeasted Base

• 3 1/2 tbsp butter (50 g)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
• 2 tsp dry yeast (10 g)
• 3 tbsp sugar (35 g)
• 1 packet vanilla sugar (8 g), or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• ⅔ cup milk, lukewarm (150 ml)

For the Vanilla Pudding Filling

• 4 1/4 cups milk (1 liter)
• ⅔ cup cornstarch (80 g)
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar (150 g)
• 2 packets vanilla sugar (16 g), or 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Streusel Topping

• 7 tbsp butter, cold (100 g)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (175 g)
• ⅓ cup sugar (75 g)
• 1 packet vanilla sugar (8 g), or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

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Instructions

Make the Vanilla Pudding (Must Be Fully Cold)

Pour the milk into a large saucepan and add the vanilla sugar. Bring to a gentle boil.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar, then add the eggs and mix until smooth.

While whisking constantly, pour about one-third of the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper it. Pour everything back into the saucepan and return to medium heat. Stir continuously until the custard thickens and bubbles once.

Transfer the pudding to a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate until completely cold.

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Prepare the Yeasted Base

Melt the butter gently until just fluid; it should not be hot.

In a large bowl, mix flour, yeast, sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the lukewarm milk and melted butter.

Mix with a fork, then knead briefly by hand until a smooth, soft dough forms, about 2–3 minutes.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until slightly puffed.

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Roll and Line the Tin

Roll the dough into a circle about 12½ inches (32 cm) in diameter, preferably between two sheets of baking paper.

Grease a 11-inch (28 cm) vlaai or tart tin and line it with the dough, pressing gently into the edges. Set aside in a warm place while making the streusel.

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Make the Streusel

Rub the cold butter and flour together with your fingertips until coarse crumbs form.

Add sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt. Rub briefly until crumbly but not uniform.

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Assemble and Bake

Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).

Pour the cold vanilla pudding into the dough-lined tin and smooth the surface. Scatter the streusel evenly over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes, covering loosely with foil if the streusel browns too quickly.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before releasing from the tin. Transfer to a rack and allow to cool further before slicing.

Notes

For a vlaai with a lattice top: make 1.5 times the dough recipe.

For an apricot vlaai: soak 200 gram dried apricots in cold water for 8 hours. Cook the apricots 15 minutes with 75 ml of the soaking water, 35 gram sugar and 1 tsp grated lemon zest. Leave to cool and drain. Spread over the vlaai base and sprinkle with 15 gram sugar. Cover with a lattice and bake 30 minutes at 225C.

For a rice vlaai: bring 750 ml milk to the boil with the zest of half a lemon and a pinch of salt. Add 150 gram pudding rice, stir well and cook for 45 minutes on very low heat, stirring regularly. Remove the lemon zest, add 75 gram sugar and 25 gram butter. Mix in a bowl an egg yolk with a few spoons of the hot rice pudding, then stir it through the rest of the rice pudding. Whip 1 egg white till stiff peaks and fold through the rice pudding. Spoon the rice pudding in the vlaai base and smooth it. Bake at 200 C for 45 minutes; when the top gets to dark, cover it with some aluminum foil.

If you want to you can garnish the vlaai with whipped cream and chocolate curls.

For a cherry or plum vlaai: spread 350 gram cherries or plums (stones removed!) over de vlaai base. Sprinkle with 50 gram sugar. Cover with a lattice and bake 30 minutes at 225C.

For an apple vlaai: spread 350 gram apple cubes over the vlaai base. Sprinkle with 50 gram sugar and some cinnamon. Some people also add some raisins, or use a very thick/dry apple compote. Top with streusel and bake 45 minutes at 200C, covering the top with aluminum foil if it gets too dark.

• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Rising and Chilling Time: 120 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: Baking
• Method: Oven Baking
• Cuisine: Dutch

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 345
• Sugar: 28g
• Sodium: 210mg
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 46g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 7g
• Cholesterol: 95mg

If you liked this, you are going to love these favorite Dutch recipes:

Nieuwjaarsrolletjes – Dutch New Year’s Rolls

Dutch Apple Fritters

Dutch Spiced Breakfast Bread

Groentesoep – Dutch Vegetable Soup with Meatballs

Kibbeling: Dutch Fried Battered Cod

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