Artificial Stroopwafels Are the Laziest Christmas Treat Ever.
Real Stroopwafels are a Dutch delicacy. They look like thin, wafer-thin cookies with a streak of caramel. Artificial stroopwafels can be characterized in the same way. But while real stroopwafels require skill and a steady hand to make, the faux variety can be made by even the most careless person in the world.
This is the perfect Christmas treat if you’re deathly allergic to baking, cooking, housework, cravings or “effort” in any sense of the word. You can make faux stroopwafels with just two store-bought ingredients: pizzelles and dulce de leche.
What are stroopwafels?
Stroopwafels consist of thin, sweet dough that is rolled out in a special form. The ultra-thin waffles then need to be split in half, coated with caramel and put back together. The caramel hardens and the resulting confection is a malty, chewy treat. They can be consumed as is or softened in a steaming mug of coffee or tea. Fresh stems are great, but you can see that making the waffle batter, being careful not to burn something thin and fragile, and then cooking and filling them with caramel can be a little “complicated”.
So I combined two delicacies from Italy and many Latin American countries to make a roguish version of this Dutch delicacy. This might be the laziest hack of all time. Head to the grocery store and grab a can of dulce de leche and a container of pizzas. They are usually sold in packs of 24. I’ve seen vanilla, anise, and chocolate picels, and while they’re all good with milk caramel, vanilla is the most reminiscent of the classic strip. They can usually be purchased in the cookie section of grocery stores, and dulce de leche can often be found in the “international section” or near the condensed and evaporated milk.
Open a can (or tin) of dulce de leche and tear open a packet of pizzelles. Using the back of a spoon, spread the dulce de leche over one pizza, spreading the caramel almost to the edge of the cookie in a thin layer. (You should be able to see the pizza pattern through the pieces.) Then place another pizza on top. Gently press and slide the waffles until the caramel is pushed to the edge.
If you’re making them for yourself, start eating your crunchy caramel creation. If you’re making these for friends or family (and are willing to put in a little effort), dust them with powdered sugar to add a pinch of delicacy.