Irene and Edwin

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Boterkoek (‘butter cake’) a.k.a. Triangle Crack

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5 from 1 vote

Boterkoek (‘butter cake’) a.k.a. Triangle Crack

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time12 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dutch
Keyword: Butter, Eggs, Flour, Milk, Sugar
Servings: 0
Author: Edwin Voskamp

Equipment

  • Two 9" pie forms

Ingredients

Dough – Dry Ingredients

  • cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1⅓ cups granulated cane sugar (caramelize the sugar for a different, deeper taste)
  • ¼ tsp salt

Dough – Wet Ingredients

  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (you can use rum instead: spiced dark rum works well)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (you can use Browned Butter (see the recipe) instead, but as you fry out the 15-20% of water, replace the liquid: rum works very well)
  • large egg beaten (it's easiest to beat one egg and divide it between this and the wash)

Wash

  • 1 splash whole milk
  • ½ large egg

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 F.
    Beat ½ the egg and the vanilla extract together (easiest to beat the egg, then halve it).
    Beat the other ½ of the egg and a splash of milk together.
    Butter 2 9″ pie pans.
  • Mix the dry ingredients together.
    Put the butter on top and knead the dry ingredients into the butter.
    When fully mixed, rub the loose mixture together between your hands to break up any remaining clumps.
    Add the egg and vanilla.
    Knead the mixture together.
    If it is too wet, add more sugar and knead it until the dough is just dry enough not to stick to your hands.
    If it is too dry, add some vanilla extract, milk, or rum.
  • Press half of the dough in each of the 9″ pie forms.
    Flatten the dough in the form.
    Smooth the top of the dough and the edges.
    Brush the tops with the beaten egg/milk mixture to fully cover it. It’s okay if there are some puddles.
  • Place the pans in the oven, turn off the oven after 10 minutes and bake for 10 more.
    If you don’t have a convection or very even electric oven, o ensure even baking (and likely bake it slightly cooler/shorter) do the following:
    After 5 minutes, swap the pans and turn 180 degrees.
    After 5 minutes, swap the pans and turn 180 degrees, and turn off the heat.
    After 5 minutes, swap the pans and turn 180 degrees.
  • Remove from the oven after 20 minutes and let cool down (ideally overnight in a not too hot spot: the butter needs to set to a solid).
    If you are in a rush (I've been there: I understand), you could pop them in the fridge.
  • Remove from pan and cut slowly with a serrated knife into pies (it is really rich, so you can cut them into 16ths).

Notes

It’s also known as “Triangle Crack” because of it’s shape (cut in 12 or 16 wedges) and super addictive nature. Named by one of Irene’s former colleagues at a previous job.
Based on an old handwritten recipe in Dutch:
  • 200g flour
  • 150g butter
  • 100g sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 50 g almond paste
    cup flour = 165g
cup sugar = 215g
cup butter = 224g

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