Milk Street, Milk Street, how did I cook before you? Chris Kimball's global recipe guide continues to outperform with my most recent Milk Street attempt, the Boterkoek, a Dutch shortbread cookie-like butter cake.
This beautiful cake / cookie is baked in a springform pan and uses just 7 ingredients – with eggs being the main distinguishing ingredient from traditional shortbread. The cake is very lightly flavored by a bit of lemon zest, making it a simple treat that can be enjoyed at virtually any time of the day and at any time of the year. The thickness and crumbliness of the cake makes it feel like a more winter-y, tea-time snack, but the lemon flavor gives it a summer-like refreshing flavor. In short, bake it all day, every day!
You start by buttering and flouring a springform pan, before making two separate egg mixtures (one white, the other white + yolk).
Then cream together the butter / sugar / lemon zest, followed by adding in the egg yolk mixture and the flour to make a thick, cookie-like dough.
Spread the dough in the prepared pan, and then coat lightly with the egg white wash before making the scored, checkered pattern with a fork.
I baked the cake for 28 minutes, and ended up with a cake that cut like a thick cookie, was crumbly like a cookie, but still held itself largely together. The cake was a hit with both adults and children alike, so I will definitely be making it again!
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