Taart Van Zuur-Zoet
"Tart Of Sweet-And-Sour"
From the treasured pages of Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek
Unknown Author
Taart Van Zuur-Zoet
"Doe een Glas met Verjuis of Citroen-zap onder een vierendeel ponds Suiker , als het eens zal hebben gekookt, doe'er dan soo veel Room by als gy noodig oordeelt, mitsgaders ses Doieren van Eieren , een weinig Boter, Oranjebloessem, gekonfyte geraspte Citroen-schil, en doe dit alles in een fyne Korst zonder het toe te decken; laat deese Taart backen; gebacken zynde, soo dist se warm op, na dat gy se met Suiker hebt bestrooit."
English Translation
"Put a glass of verjuice or lemon juice with a quarter pound of sugar; when it has boiled once, then add as much cream as you think necessary, together with six egg yolks, a bit of butter, orange blossom, candied grated lemon peel, and put all of this in a fine crust without covering it; let this tart bake; once baked, serve it warm after you have sprinkled it with sugar."
Note on the Original Text
Written in direct, imperative phrases, the recipe presumes a reader with kitchen knowledge and omits weights and measures for familiarity—though here, a 'glas' is likely around 120 ml, a 'vierendeel pond' is a quarter of a Dutch pound, roughly 115 g. The spelling—'Verjuis', 'Citroen-zap', 'Oranjebloessem'—reflects early 18th-century Dutch, before spelling was standardized. It also does not specify baking times or temperatures, as these would depend upon the judgement and skill of the cook—a fine demonstration of the era's flexible yet confident approach to cookery.
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, dating to 1725 from 'Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek', hails from the Dutch Golden Age, a time when the Netherlands were at the forefront of global trade. Ingredients like sugar, citrus, and even orange blossom water had recently become more available to the merchant and upper classes, and their inclusion here signals both affluence and cosmopolitan tastes. Sweet-sour (zuur-zoet) desserts were highly valued in early modern Europe for both their refreshing and 'restorative' qualities. This tart would have been served at a genteel table, perhaps marking the conclusion of a festive meal.
Cooks in the early 18th century would have used a sturdy brass or copper saucepan for dissolving and simmering the sugar and verjuice, and large earthenware or wooden bowls for beating eggs and cream. A wire whisk or even bundles of thin twigs (called a 'gard' or 'ballonklopper') would help aerate the eggs. The pie itself would be baked in a pastry tin or shallow earthenware dish, inserted into a wood-fired oven, with careful attention paid to temperature—one often gauged by hand or experience.
Prep Time
15 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
- 1/2 cup verjuice (or substitute: lemon juice)
- 4 oz white sugar (about 1/2 cup)
- 3/4 cup fresh cream
- 6 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp orange blossom water
- 1 tbsp candied lemon peel, grated
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest, grated
- 1 pre-baked pie crust (about 9 inches diameter)
- Extra sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Start by placing about 1/2 cup of verjuice (unripe grape juice) or freshly squeezed lemon juice into a small saucepan, together with 4 oz (about 1/2 cup) of white sugar.
- Gently bring this mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar completely.
- Once the sugar has melted and the mixture has just started simmering, take the pan off the heat.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 6 egg yolks and about 3/4 cup of fresh cream until smooth and uniform.
- Slowly pour the hot, sweet-sour juice mixture into the eggs and cream, whisking constantly to avoid curdling.
- Stir in about 2 tbsp of softened butter, a teaspoon of orange blossom water, and about a tablespoon each of finely grated candied and fresh lemon peel.
- Prepare a pre-baked pie crust (about 9 inches in diameter), and pour in the custard mixture, leaving it uncovered.
- Bake at 340°F (170°C) for 30–35 minutes, or until the custard is just set and slightly golden at the edges.
- Serve warm, generously dusted with sugar.
Estimated Calories
350 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the custard and pie crust, and 35 minutes to bake. Each slice is estimated at about 350 calories, based on typical ingredients. This pie yields 8 servings.
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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