Genuinely, one of the best things about the upcoming holidays is all the delicious festive treats you get to eat over Christmas and New Year. Many of the traditional Dutch festive snacks are related to the celebration of Sinterklaas, but there are also some foods that people in the Netherlands love to eat over Christmas - and one of them is definitely kerststol.
Variations of kerststollen can be found in countries across northern Europe at this time of year, and, of course, the Netherlands has its own version too. A kerststol is, traditionally, a relatively large oval-shaped loaf of sweet bread, filled with dried fruits and various nuts, as well as lemon and orange zest and, of course, cinnamon. The final touch is a marzipan-like almond paste that runs through the middle of the loaf.
The Dutch like to eat them over both the Easter and Christmas holidays. At this time of year you can pick up a kerststol at your local supermarket, but wouldn’t it be so much more fun (and a lot more impressive) to make one yourself? If you’re looking to test your baking skills this Christmas, why not try your hand at making your very own kerststol with the help of this video!
Looking to try out some other festive Dutch recipes this December? Why not have a go at making your very own oliebollen for New Year’s Eve?