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