DUTCH STROOPWAFELS OR STROOPIES FOR ST. NICHOLAS DAY

Dutch Stroopwafel warming on a cup of coffee.  Enjoy!!!!

According to Wikipedia, stroopwafels were first made in Gouda, Netherlands in 1784.  Stroop refers to the caramel-flavored syrup put between two waffle cookies.  Often called stroopies, the cookies are made to fit on the top of a cup of hot coffee or hot chocolate.  As the steam rises from the hot liquid, it melts the caramel filling making the cookie even more delicious.

I had never heard of stroopies until I read about them in the Vermont Country Store catalogue.  After I read about them I found them in the Dutch section of our grocery store.  My Grandchildren love them.

Making stroopwafels at home requires an Italian pizzele iron.  I found one in a kitchen store at an outlet mall that wasn't very expensive.  Keeping the caramel melted can be difficult.  I was poking around on a clearance table and found this little warmer.  I grabbed it because I thought it would be perfect for stroopwafels and it is.  You could also use a small crockpot/slow cooker. 

STROOPWAFELS
Stroopies are really easy to make especially if you find a way to keep the caramel warm.  I recommend a timer if your pizzele iron doen't have one. This recipe came originally from Better Homes and Gardens magazine. I have made a few changes to the recipe to fit my pizzele iron and from my experience with the recipe.   I don't like making caramel and unwrapping Kraft caramels takes time so I was pleased when I was in a cake decorating store and found caramel sold in bulk. 

2 c flour
1 T baking powder
2 t ground cinnamon, I like Korintje cinnamon
3 eggs
¾ c sugar
1/3 c butter, melted and cooled
1 ½ t vanilla
 Kraft caramel candies or caramel from a cake store

Ingredients:  Eggs, butter, vanilla, sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and caramel.

In a small bowl, stir together the dry ingredients and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer on high speed about 4 minutes, or until thick and lemon colored. With mixer on medium speed, gradually beat in sugar. Beat in butter and vanilla. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed until combined. Heat an electric pizzelle iron according to manufacturer’s directions. Place a slightly rounded tablespoon (my pizzelle makers says 1 teaspoon of dough per pizzele) of dough in center of the grid. (I like to put the batter slightly to the top of center because as the lid is closed it pushes the dough toward the bottom.) I like to use an cookie scoop to put the dough on the iron. Close lid. Bake according to manufacturer’s directions. My iron takes about 90 seconds.  Use a plastic spatula to transfer cookie to paper towel. Cool. Prepare caramel filling or melt caramels. Immediately spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons filling onto half of the cookies and quickly cover with a second cookie.

Melt butter.

Mix dry ingredients together in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Put eggs in a mixing bowl and beat for 4 minutes on HIGH speed. 

Eggs beaten until thick and lemon colored.

Gradually beat in sugar.

Beat in butter and vanilla.

Beat in dry ingredients.

Dough ready to bake in pizzele iron.

Heat iron according to manufacturer's directions.  I use a scoop to put batter on the iron.

Close iron and cook for time recommended by manufacturer of your iron.

Remove cooked waffles from iron with plastic spatula

Let waffels cool.

Put one to two teaspoons of warm caramel on one waffle. 

Spread caramel.  Quickly top caramel with another waffle.

One Stoopie ready to eat!!  Enjoy!!!

I like mine with hot tea!!  So good!!  So fun!!