Boterkoek

2 cups butter

2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons almond extract

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups flour

sliced almonds, optional garnish

In medium bowl, mix together all ingredients but save half an egg to spread on top.

Spread into lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake in oven at 350F for 30 minutes or until done (firm to the touch).

This is a dense cake, but should be soft on the inside and hard on the outside, but not too hard.

Dutch Boterkoek partners well with a good cup of coffee.

from Grace Storteboom

Grace, 85, is the mother of 91原创 City Councillor Rudy Storteboom. When he was asked for a favourite Christmas recipe, his mother鈥檚 buttercake was his choice.

鈥淚t was a special treat for Christmas,鈥� Grace said.

The family was still in Holland during the Second World War.

鈥淚鈥檓 now 85 years old... that was in the 鈥�40s, you know.鈥�

They were able to make this holiday treat because they were on a farm and could still get the necessary milk, eggs and flour.

鈥淚t was in the northern part and we had it a little bit easier. In the southern part of Holland, they had real war.鈥�

Rudy explained that 鈥淏oterkoek (Buttercake) is a fairly simple holiday treat that is a festive favourite for our family and many from the Dutch community who are here in Canada.

鈥淢om (Oma) remembers making Boterkoek as a young girl in the Netherlands.鈥�