Every country has its own traditions and customs around the turn of the year. For example, baking and eating kniepertjes and New Year’s rolls is a centuries-old tradition in the Netherlands. A tradition that, just like baking oliebollen and lighting fireworks, is indispensable at the turn of the year. A kniepertje is a thin hard wafer that is baked in special waffle irons. Originally, the waffle was mainly eaten in the north and east of the Netherlands. Nowadays these waffles are available in supermarkets under the name New Year rolls and fighter rolls all over the country. Still, according to many people, nothing beats homemade New Year’s rolls, but baked according to a traditional recipe.
Kniepertjes and New Year’s rolls
A kniepertje is a sweet, thin hard wafer. Kniepertje has its origins in the tenth century. In the north and east of the Netherlands, this wafer was traditionally baked and eaten around the turn of the year. The waffles were originally baked with a sweet dough with cinnamon in special waffle irons. In the past, these were wrought iron clamps that were held over the fireplace. Nowadays one can buy special electric waffle irons that are suitable for baking kniepertjes. With the introduction of these electric irons, kniepertjes have increasingly become a national product and thus, instead of a regional product, it has become a Dutch custom. Although in Drenthe people still speak of kniepertjes, in the Netherlands the wafers are called New Year’s rolls or fighter rolls. The latter name is due to the largest producer of the rolls, Banquet Factory Jac. Vegter BV
Roll or flat wafer.
The waffles that are nowadays available throughout the Netherlands are often rolled up into a roll. The so-called New Year’s roll. Nevertheless, a kniepertje can originally be eaten flat or rolled up. According to the old tradition, kniepertjes are eaten flat. Kniepertjes are mainly eaten in December. From New Year’s Day, the kniepertjes are then made and eaten as a New Year’s roll. The symbolism behind this is that in December the old year has fully unfolded. In the new year they then eat the kniepertjes in rolls. This is because people do not yet know what to expect in the new year.
Seizure
Although the taste of a flat wafer and a rolled wafer are similar, the two types of waffles have a different preparation method. This is because both waffles are made using a different type of batter.
The flat wafers are made from a batter that is quite liquid. This batter is poured into the waffle iron. After the wafer has had a few seconds to bake, the wafer is removed from the iron and rolled around a wooden stick. Because it has been rolled around a stick, it now takes on the shape of a roll and the wafer can take on a rolled shape. This can be achieved by allowing the wafer dough around the stick to cool as a wafer. When the roll has cooled down, the round wafer can be easily removed from the stick.
Flat wafers
The flat wafers are made from a special type of dough. Small balls are made from this dough. These balls are then placed in the waffle iron. When the waffle iron is closed with the dough in it, the ball automatically assumes the shape of a flat wafer. After a few minutes the wafer is done and can be removed from the iron.
Traditional recipe for the (New Year’s) roll
Requirements (for approximately 80 waffles)
ingredients | tools |
---|---|
2 eggs | mixer |
250 grams of butter | mixing bowl |
500 grams of sifted flour | saucepan |
500 grams of white caster sugar | waffle iron |
4 packets of vanilla sugar | |
2 tablespoons of anise powder | |
pinch of salt | |
3 decilitres of cold water |
Preparation method
Put the brown sugar, vanilla sugar, anise powder, salt and the eggs in a mixing bowl and mix with the help of a mixer. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat and add the butter to the mixture and mix again on low heat. Add the sifted flour and cold water to the batter until the batter has the thickness of yogurt.
Now scoop the batter into the waffle iron with a batter spoon. Let the wafer bake for about 40 seconds and then carefully remove the wafer from the waffle iron with a knife. Roll the still warm wafer right around a round piece of wood. Let the wafer around this wood cool down and then remove the roll. If desired, the roll can be filled with whipped cream before serving to third parties.
Traditional Drenthe recipe for a kniepertje (flat shape)
Requirements (for approximately 75 wafers)
ingredients | tools |
---|---|
200 grams of flour | mixer |
150 grams of butter | mixing bowl |
150 grams of brown caster sugar | saucepan |
2 eggs | waffle iron |
2 tablespoons of anise powder |
Preparation method
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then put the melted butter in the mixing bowl and add the flour, sugar, eggs and anise powder to the butter. Mix everything into a smooth batter.
To bake the waffles, make small balls from the dough. Put a ball in the waffle iron and close the iron. The wafer is ready after three to four minutes.