Taart Van Franchipane
"Frangipane Tart"
From the treasured pages of Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek
Unknown Author
Taart Van Franchipane
"Maak een Room met Melk en Doieren van Eyeren; dit gedaan zynde, foo doe'er by twee gestampte Makrons, Suiker, een stuk Kaneel, een halfvierendeel Pistasjens gestampt, een weinig Zout, geconfyte en geraspte Citroenschil; en fchik het op een Onder-korst van Marssepain, doe'er Oranje-bloeffem-water en gepoejerde Suiker by."
English Translation
"Make a custard with milk and egg yolks; once done, then add two crushed macarons, sugar, a piece of cinnamon, a quarter pound of crushed pistachios, a little salt, candied and grated lemon peel; and arrange it on a bottom crust of marzipan, then add orange blossom water and powdered sugar."
Note on the Original Text
The original recipe is brief, written in a telegraphic style common in 18th-century handbooks, assuming readers already knew foundational kitchen skills. Measurements are often vague or nonexistent, as cooks were expected to 'go by eye' and taste. Spelling variations like 'Doieren van Eyeren' (egg yolks) and 'Room' (custard/cream) use archaisms; 'Makrons' refer to early macaroon biscuits. Ingredients like 'Pistasjens' present with Dutchified spellings of imported goods. Punctuation is scattershot, and instructions often lack precise sequencing, reflecting the oral transmission of culinary knowledge and the trusting of the reader's experience over comprehensiveness.
Title
Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek (1725)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1725
Publisher
J. du Vivie
Background
A delectable journey into 18th-century Dutch cuisine, this cookbook serves up traditional recipes, culinary wisdom, and a flavorful glimpse of the Netherlands’ rich gastronomic heritage.
Kindly made available by
Internet Archive
This recipe hails from the 'Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek', published in Leyden in 1725—a time when Dutch cuisine delighted in the use of sugar, exotic spices, and imported confections, reflecting the Golden Age's global trade. Pastries like this Franchipane tart, with its luxurious marzipan and fragrant orange-blossom water, symbolized the wealth and cosmopolitan tastes of the Dutch upper and middle classes. At the heart of this dessert is a layering of French and Italian influences (frangipane, marzipan, pistachios). Such recipes offer a glimpse into early modern kitchens, where ingredients from across Europe and beyond mingled, and festive baking was a show of hospitality and sophistication.
Traditional cooks would have used an earthenware or metal tart tin, a copper or clay saucepan for making the custard, wooden spoons for stirring, and a mortar and pestle for grinding pistachios and crushing makrons (amaretti). Baking was done in a wood-fired oven, with skill needed to manage baking temperatures by shifting coals or adjusting oven doors. Graters, knives, and sieves would all have contributed to the careful zesting of citrus and sifting of sugar. Presentation was important—tarts were often cooled on wire racks or wooden boards before being brought to table in their best form.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Servings
8
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 amaretti (as substitute for historical makrons), finely crushed
- 1 stick cinnamon or 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, finely ground
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp candied citron peel, finely chopped (or candied lemon/orange peel)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 9 oz marzipan (for the base)
- 2 tsp orange blossom water
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Begin by making a rich custard: heat 2 cups whole milk in a saucepan until just below boiling point.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar until creamy, then slowly pour in the hot milk while whisking.
- Return this mixture to the pan and cook gently, stirring, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon—do not let it boil.
- Remove from heat.
- While still warm, stir in 2 finely crushed amaretti (as modern makrons), 1 stick of cinnamon (or 1 tsp ground cinnamon), and 1/4 cup shelled pistachios that are finely ground.
- Add a pinch of salt, 1 tbsp finely chopped candied citron peel, the zest of 1 lemon, and continue to stir until well blended.
- Roll out 9 oz marzipan to fit your tart base and lay it in a shallow pie or tart tin.
- Pour over the prepared custard mixture.
- Sprinkle with 2 tsp orange blossom water and a liberal dusting of powdered sugar.
- Bake at 340°F (fan oven) for about 30–40 minutes, or until the filling is just set and starting to color lightly.
- Cool before serving.
Estimated Calories
350 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You will need about 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients and make the custard, and about 35 minutes to bake the tart. Each serving contains around 350 calories, and the recipe serves 8.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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