Belgian beauties: recipes from Dark Rye & Honey Cake cookbook (2024)

Known as an expert in British baking and culture, acclaimed food writer and historian Regula Ysewijn turns her attention to her native Belgium for an intimate look at the culinary traditions and classic baked goods.

Savoury sweet potato waffles

Makes 10 medium waffles

These waffles are the best savoury waffles you will ever make – in my humble opinion, anyway. The spices provide a subtle flavour in the background: they aren't meant to be pronounced, just to support.

400g sweet potato (kūmara)

50g unsalted butter

100g cheese, such as semi-mature gouda or cheddar

100g high-grade flour

100g plain flour

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp ground cumin

1 Tbsp dried oregano

2 eggs, separated

50ml full-fat milk

To serve

Flat-leaf parsley

Fromage blanc, quark, sour cream or skyr

Cracked black pepper

Chervil sprigs

1. There are two ways to go about cooking the sweet potato: if you are feeling organised you can put the whole, unpeeled potatoes into the oven along with your evening meal and bake them until soft (this is the way that will yield the most flavoursome result and it’s so easy you will definitely remember to pop in a sweet potato or two next time). The oven temperature isn’t important as long as you don’t go over 200C – just squeeze the potato after 30 minutes to see if it is soft; the skin will be wrinkly if it’s ready. You can keep the cooked potato in the fridge for up to 3 days after cooking. The second way is to cook the sweet potato on the day you’re making the waffles. If you can find small ones, cook them whole as it will improve the flavour, but if they’re large cut them into cubes and keep an eye on them so they don’t fall apart. Depending on the size of the potatoes, cooking them will take about 20 minutes.

2. Scoop the flesh out of the potato peel or toss the cubes into a food processor and blend to a puree, then let it cool.

3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat so it doesn't bubble, then let it cool. Grate the cheese.

4. Put both the flours, baking powder, salt, spices and herbs into a large bowl and mix well.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the sweet potato puree and the melted butter together until well incorporated. Add the egg yolks and milk, then add this mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until combined, then whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them into the batter with the grated cheese.

6. Heat a plain waffle iron. Place a dollop of batter on the iron and bake each waffle for 3 minutes or until golden.

7. To serve, chop some parsley and add it to the cheese or sour cream. Add the pepper, as much as you like, and stir to combine. Serve the waffles with the cheese mixture, scattered with the dainty leaves of chervil, which will give a delicate flavour. Other delicate salad leaves will work too.

8. Freeze leftover waffle or keep in an airtight container. The next day, or after thawing, simply heat up in a hot waffle iron or a toaster.

Apple beignets

Makes 28

Using an apple with firm flesh will prevent the beignet from becoming soggy or falling apart.

6 medium-firm apples, such as cox, granny smith or your favourite pie apple (a buttery texture, sweet with tart notes is what you need)

200g high-grade flour, plus extra for dusting

1 Tbsp caster sugar

5g salt

200ml full-fat milk, at room temperature

2 eggs, separated

1 Tbsp melted butter or oil

2L oil or lard, for deep-frying

Icing sugar, for dusting

1. Use a deep-fryer or a deep heavy-based saucepan.

2. Peel and core the apples and cut into 1cm slices.

3. Put the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the milk, the egg yolks and melted butter and whisk or mix until you get a smooth batter. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the batter.

4. Heat the oil to 180C in a deep-fryer or deep heavy-based saucepan. The oil is the correct temperature when a cube of bread is added and turns golden brown in 60 seconds. Dust the apple slices with a thin coating of flour, making sure no pockets of flour are stuck to the fruit.

5. Using tongs, dip each slice in the batter so the apple is covered, then carefully lower the apple slices into the hot fat.

6. Fry the beignets for 5 minutes or until golden brown, flipping them over halfway through the cooking time. Transfer to a tray lined with paper towel while you fry the remaining apple slices. Serve on a serving plate, dusted generously with icing sugar. Eat hot and with your hands; licking your fingers is essential.

Tarte al djote

Makes 4 individual tarts

For the pastry

500g plain flour

125g salted butter, softened

11g instant dry yeast

10g salt

2 eggs

125ml full-fat milk

For the filling

400g mature cheddar or gouda cheese

75g salted butter, plus extra butter, to serve

1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk

½ tsp ground white pepper

Pinch salt

35g silverbeet, leaves only, finely chopped

25g shallots, finely chopped

20g flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

1. Use four 20cm top diameter x 18cm base diameter x 2.5 cm depth pie tins, greased and floured.

2. To make the pastry, combine the flour, butter, yeast and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead until you get a coarse mixture. Add the eggs and milk and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth. Cover the bowl and set aside to rest for 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.

3. For the filling, crumble or grate the cheese and leave it out to get ‘sweaty’.

4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and brown it (beurre noisette). Set aside to cool so that the butter doesn't cook the eggs.

5. Mix the cheese with the cooled melted butter, the egg, egg yolk, pepper and salt. Fold the silverbeet, shallots and parsley through and set aside.

6. Preheat the oven to 210C. Do not use the fan setting.

7. When the dough has risen, knock out the air, divide in 4 and roll out the dough as thin as you can. Do the same for all 4 pieces, then lay them over the greased tins, press into the base and cut away the excess pastry. Pierce the bases all over with a fork.

8. Spoon in, filling to just under 1cm deep in each pie.

9. Place the tarts on a rack on the lowest shelf of the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the crust has a blush. Transfer to a wire rack and set aside to rest for 5 minutes for the cheese to coagulate so you can safely remove the tart from the tin.

10. Serve warm, with a knob of extra butter on top to melt. Pair with a full-bodied red wine (burgundy is traditional) or a dark monastery beer.

11. The next day you can reheat the tart in a 200C oven for 10 minutes. The baked tarts freeze incredibly well: just thaw in the fridge and reheat.

Edited extract from Dark Rye and Honey Cake by Regula Ysewijn, photography by Regula Ysewijn. Murdoch Books RRP $59.99