EFTELING FAMILY RECIPES
LOTUS is looking forward to spending the Christmas break cooking with our families with the help of Efteling's fairytale-inspired recipes.
From Cinderella pumpkin coach soup with Gnochi to Mr Sandman’s sleeping drinks, these are just some of the recipes which are guaranteed to bring some magic into your homes over the festive season.
We'd love for you to have a go, and if you do, please share your creations using the following Efteling handles and hashtags:
@Efteling
#EftelingatChristmas #EftelingCookbook #Eftelingrecipes
Wonderful fruit and flower spring rolls
In the fairy tale of the Six Swans, Elisa used purple flowers to knit shirts for her brother. Now these flowers make the spring rolls extra tasty and beautiful.
Ingredients (for 20 spring rolls)
- 1 small, firm courgette
- ½ fennel
- ½ cucumber
- ⅛ red cabbage
- 1 bunch of mint
- 1 kiwi
- 5 strawberries
- 20 rice papers
- Small handful of edible flowers from the garden, such as pansies or East Indian cherry
- 100 g bean sprouts
For the peanut dip sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- 6 tbsp pure peanut butter
- 4 tbsp coconut milk
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp ketcap manis (Sweet soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- salt (optional)
Extra requirements: wide, shallow bowl or bowl
Tip
Do you want to make this dish gluten-free? Then replace the soy sauce in the peanut sauce with gluten-free soy sauce and add 1 tablespoon of cane sugar.
- Start with the peanut sauce. Press the garlic and place the peanut butter, 100 ml water, coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, soy sauce manis and peanut oil in a saucepan. Heat on low heat for 5 minutes, while stirring, until the sauce is smooth. Taste and add a pinch of salt if necessary. Leave to cool down afterwards.
- Cut the courgette, fennel, cucumber and red cabbage into long, thin strips. Remove the mint leaves from the twigs. Peel the kiwi and cut into thin slices. Cut the strawberries into thin slices.
- Prepare a wide bowl with hot water. Dip 1 sheet of rice paper in the hot water, drain for a moment above the bowl and place on a plate or shelf. Place a nice row of 'sweet' rice on the top third of the sheet: choose from slices of strawberry, slices of kiwi or edible flowers. Leave the edges of the sheet free.
- Place a line of vegetable strips in the middle of the sheet: courgette, fennel, cucumber and/or red cabbage, leaving the edges free. Add some bean sprouts and mint to this stripe.
- Fold the bottom third of the rice sheet over the strip of vegetables/ herbs. Fold the sides inwards and roll the spring roll in the direction of the fruit or flowers. Repeat with the other sheets and stuffing.
- Place the spring rolls on a dish and serve with the peanut dip sauce.
Cinderella pumpkin coach soup with gnocchi
To be able to dance with the prince all evening, first eat this filling soup.
Ingredients (main course for 4 people)
- 1 kg bottle squash
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tbsp salt + extra
- ½ tbsp of cinnamon
- 1 vegetable stock tablet
- 100 g slices of bacon or pancetta (for carnivores only)
- 1 bunch of thyme
- Pepper
- 700 g of gnocchi
Extra requirement: hand blender or blender
- Cut the bottle squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and threads with a spoon and cut into pieces. Chop the onion and squeeze the garlic cloves.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan. Fry the onion with the salt for 5 minutes on low heat. Fry the garlic and cinnamon for 1 minute. Add the pumpkin pieces and stir.
- Pour 850 ml of boiling water into the pan and crumble the vegetable stock tablet above it. Stir and bring to the boil. Put the lid on the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft.
- In the meantime, cut the bacon (if you use it) into strips. Remove the leaves of thyme from the twigs. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Fry the thyme leaves and the bacon for about 5 minutes until crunchy. Leave to drain for a while on kitchen paper.
- Puree the soup with a hand blender or in a blender until completely smooth. Taste the pumpkin soup and season with salt and pepper.
- Lower the gnocchi into a pan of boiling water and wait for them to rise again - this will take about 2 minutes. Drain the gnocchi and divide them over four bowls. Spoon the soup on top and sprinkle with the crispy thyme and possibly the bacon strips.
Gepetto's spaghetti pie
It is not a lie; this cake is absolutely Italian!
Ingredients (main course for 4-5 people)
- 2 shallots
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch of basil
- 4 eggs
- 500 g minced beef
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika powder
- salt and pepper
- 250 ml passata
- 300 g bucatini (thick, hollow spaghetti)
- 75 g grated ripened cheese
- 75 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) ketchup
Extra requirement: spring form tin and 22 cm of baking paper
- Cover the bottom of the spring form tin with baking paper. Grease the sides with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
- Chop the shallots and crush the garlic cloves. Pick the leaves from the basil twigs and cut the stalks into small pieces. Beat the eggs in a bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the shallot and basil stalks and fry on low heat for 5 minutes. Gently fry the garlic for 1 minute. Put the minced meat in the pan, sprinkle the smoked paprika powder and some salt and pepper on top and fry loose.
- Add the passata and simmer while cooking the bucatini al dente according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the pasta and put it in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the bolognese sauce and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Spoon a few times.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (hot air oven 170°C). Add the beaten eggs to the pasta and scoop quickly but carefully so that everything gets mixed well. Then spoon in the ripened cheese and most of the Parmesan cheese.
- Spoon half of the pasta mixture into the springform tin and press well with a spatula. Divide the basil leaves over it. Spoon the rest of the pasta mixture on top, press again and sprinkle with the panko and the rest of the Parmesan cheese.
- Bake the spaghetti bolognese pie in the oven for 40 minutes. Leave to cool and firm for at least 1 hour (otherwise the pie will fall apart when you cut it). After that, the pie will remain warm for a few hours. It tastes delicious, both warm and lukewarm.
- Take the pie with you, wrapped in a tea towel, and cut it into slices just before serving. Eat with lots of ketchup.
Mr Sandman’s Sleeping Drinks
Delicious nightcaps (without alcohol) according to the recipe of Mr Sandman and his little helpers.
Aniseed-sleeping drink (drink for 1 person)
Ingredients
- 250 ml (vegetable) milk
- 1¼ tbsp aniseed
- 1-2 tbsp of honey or sugar
Extra requirements: mortar, milk frother or whisk
- Crush ¼ tbsp anise seed in the mortar.
- Put the rest of the aniseed seeds in a saucepan with the milk. Bring to the boil on low heat and turn off the heat. Allow to brew for 5 minutes.
- Pour the aniseed milk through a fine sieve into the hand frother and froth; or whisk up the milk with a whisk.
- Put the honey in a mug or wide cup. Pour in the milk and stir to dissolve the honey. Sprinkle the mashed anise with a line and serve.
Lavender-choco sleeping drink (drink for 1 person)
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 250 ml (vegetable) milk
- 1¼ tbsp edible lavender flowers
- 1 bag of vanilla sugar
Extra requirements: milk frother or whisk
- Mix the cocoa with a dash of milk into a chocolate paste. Bring the rest of the milk to the boil on low heat and turn off the heat. Stir in the chocolate liquid, 1 tablespoon of lavender flowers and the vanilla sugar. Leave to infuse for 5 minutes.
- Pour the lavender chocolate drink through a fine sieve into the hand frother and foam; or whisk the milk up with a whisk.
- Pour the drink into a mug. Sprinkle the rest of the lavender flowers in a line over it.
Strawberry-sleeping drink (drink for 1 person)
Ingredients:
- 75 g strawberries
- 250 ml (vegetable) milk
- ½-1 tbsp cane sugar
- 1 freeze-dried strawberry (optional)
Extra requirements: blender, milk frother or whisk
- Remove the crowns from the strawberries. Put them with the milk and sugar in the blender. Grind until smooth, put in a saucepan and warm the drink until it is hot but not yet boiling.
- Pour the strawberry-sleeping beverage through a fine sieve in the hand frother and froth up; or whisk up the milk with a whisk.
- Pour the drink into a mug. Crumble the freeze-dried strawberry over it in a crescent shape.
Anti-freeze chocolate milk
A visit to the Winter Efteling includes a cup of hot chocolate. Fortunately, it tastes delicious at home by the fireplace!
Ingredients (drink and cake in one for 4 people)
- 125 ml whipped cream
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 litre of icing sugar
- 100 g good quality dark chocolate (milk chocolate is also possible)
- 700 ml milk
- 2 syrup waffles, sprinkle with your choice of chopped nuts, icing sugar or cake decorations
- 8 mini-donuts
Extra equipment:
- (hand) mixer
- plastic foil
- 4 high (latte) glasses
- 4 firm straws
- Beat the whipped cream and the vanilla essence with the mixer. Sprinkle the icing sugar on top and whisk until the whipped cream is firm, but not too firm. Cover with plastic foil or a lid and put in the fridge until use.
- Break the dark chocolate into pieces. Bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the pieces of chocolate and stir until they have melted. Divide the chocolate milk over the four glasses. Cut the syrup waffles in half and place half a syrup waffle on the rim of each glass, as if it were a slice of fruit on a cocktail glass.
- Spoon the vanilla cream onto the chocolate milk and sprinkle with sprinkles.
- Insert a straw and slide two mini-donuts over each straw, balancing on the rim of the glass.
- Serve and feast.
Tip for parents – Can't handle a mountain of sweets like this? Add espresso to the glass and keep the decoration with half a syrup waffle or one mini-donut, or both!