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250g rye or spelled flour
250g wheat flour + pinch salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons gingerbread spices
225g soft brown sugar
1 glass of star mix tea
6 tablespoons brown syrup
2 free range organic eggs
75g sugar mice
optional: 25g raisins
1 tablespoon butter or oil (for greasing)
50 grams extra wheat flour (for sprinkling)
Today we start with a tour of the twelve Dutch provinces. To one of their regional dishes, to be precise. Our first recipe comes from Groningen and for our first dish we chose Oudewijvenkoek (Old Ladies Cake) or Ol'wief, as they say in Groningen. The recipe for this cake is centuries old and loved throughout the Netherlands. Think of a soft type of gingerbread with a hint of anise. We're going to bake one today.
Here is how you make Ol'wief
Sift both flours, salt and baking powder into a bowl.
Stir it together until all is very well combined.
Stir in the brown sugar and the gingerbread spices as well.
Make a generous glass of tea with the Starmix flavour.
Dissolve the syrup in the hot tea and then let it cool.
Beat a splash of the tepid syrup-tea into the flour mixture.
Beat in one egg into the mixture first, then beat in the second.
Mix it well together.
Check if it needs some more tea.
Add the mice and the raisins.
Stir both into the batter.
The batter should have the thickness of a firm cake batter, if it is to thick then mix in a little more cold tea
Set the batter aside in a cold spot for 2 hours.
Grease the cake mold well.
Dust the mold with flour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C
Draai de oven naar 170°C zodra je de koek in de oven zet
Spoon the batter into the mold.
Smoothen using a wet spoon.
Sprinkle some flour on top.
Bake the cake for 1 hour.
Check with a skewer whether the cake is done, take the mold out of the oven and let the ol'wief cake cool slightly
Wrap the cake in foil and let it rest for 24 hours.
Serve the Ol' Wief cake with soft butter.
Tomorrow we are in Friesland!