Dutch "slof" with berries and cream

Slof is a Dutch pastry that resembles an elongated tart. It is made of a shortcrust pastry base and topped with a layer of almond paste or frangipane. The slof is traditionally decorated with sliced almonds and often filled with whipped cream or fruits like raspberry, strawberry, or blueberries. The slof is a popular dessert in the Netherlands, especially during holidays and celebrations. The word "slof" comes from the Dutch word "sloffen", which means to shamble or to shuffle your feet, possibly referring to the long and narrow shape of the pastry. Normally, a slof has a rectangular shape, but for this recipe, it will be made into a round shape.

Base:

• 180 gr butter, at room temperature
• 100 gr sugar
• 80 gr light brown sugar
• zest of ¼-½ lemon
• 1 egg yolk
• ¼ tsp salt
• 250 gr flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 150 gr almond paste (homemade or store-bought)
• ½-1 egg

Cream filling:

• 175 ml whipping cream
• 20 gr sugar
• 4 gr whipped cream stabilizer, whip it (optional)

Pastry Cream Recipe:

• 250 ml milk
• 1 vanilla bean
• 50 gr sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 22 gr cornstarch

Topping:

• 400-500 grams of fresh summer fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries.

Tools:

• pastry bag
• wisk
• mixer

1. To make the dough:

Place the butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, lemon zest, and egg yolk in a mixing bowl and thoroughly combine the ingredients. Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl and knead the mixture briefly until it forms a cohesive dough. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. To make the almond filling:
Combine the almond paste and egg in a mixing bowl until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. The texture of the filling should be thick enough to be piped onto the dough using a pastry bag with a smooth 6-8 millimeter tip, but not so thin that it runs. Place the almond filling in a pastry bag, or use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly onto the dough.

3. To shape and bake the slof:
First, roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 8 millimeters. Using a cake ring, cut out a round piece of dough with a diameter of 24-25 centimeters. Place the dough on a baking sheet and spread the almond filling evenly on top, leaving about 1.5 centimeters of space around the edges. Grease the cake ring with butter and place it around the edges of the dough.
Next, bake the slof for 23-28 minutes, or until it is golden brown. After baking, remove the cake ring immediately and allow the slof to cool completely before serving.

4. Pastry Cream Recipe:

**Step 1:**
Heat 200 ml of milk in a saucepan. Cut open the vanilla pod with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds. Add both the pod and seeds to the milk and bring it to a boil.
**Step 2:**
In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and the remaining milk until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
**Step 3:**
Remove the vanilla pod from the boiled milk. Pour half of the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring continuously. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, and keep stirring as you bring it to a boil.
**Step 4:**
The mixture will begin to thicken and become creamy. Allow it to boil gently for 1-2 minutes while stirring continuously.
**Step 5:**
Pour the pastry cream into a wide, shallow dish and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming.
**Step 6:**
Let the pastry cream cool for a while, then chill it completely in the refrigerator. Before using it, whisk it well to make it smooth and creamy.

5. To make the filling:
Begin by combining the whipping cream, sugar, and cream stabilizer in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture until it forms stiff peaks.
In another bowl, beat the pastry cream with an electric mixer until it becomes smooth. Gently fold in half of the whipped cream. Next, add the remaining whipped cream and fold it in until the mixture is fully incorporated.
Transfer the cream mixture to a piping bag that is fitted with a plain 1-1½ centimeter tip.

Pipe the cream mixture on top of the round slof and use fresh summer fruit to garnish it.