In Dark Rye and Honey Cake, acclaimed food writer and historian Regula Ysewijn turns her focus to the bakes and culinary history of her Belgian homeland.

2024 James Beard Foundation Book Award Winner!

“A beautifully illustrated volume of recipes with history.” – The New York Times

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—including classic Carnival and Renaissance treats, pastries, pies, biscuits, cakes, breads and, of course, waffles.

Dark Rye and Honey Cake includes a lavish photo gallery of Belgian landmarks and landscapes, historical artifacts, and images of every recipe. Regula’s unique ability to capture the detail and beauty of Belgium in her recipes and photos provides readers with a breathtaking engaging, and personal account of food culture in Belgium.

80+ RECIPES: Discover dozens of Belgian bakes including, pastries, pies, biscuits, cakes, breads and, of course, waffles

BAKE FOR EVERY OCCASION: Create cozy breakfasts, decadent desserts, hearty breads and snacks as well as festive Carnival treats and authentic Renaissance recipes

INSPIRING IMAGES: Beautiful photos of every recipe help ensure success

A VIRTUAL VISIT: With historic facts detailing Belgium’s culinary history, lavish photos of landscapes and landmarks, and a compelling narrative from a native Belgian, Dark Rye and Honey Cake gives readers an inside peek into the country’s culinary history and current scene

EXPERT AUTHOR: Regula Ysewijn is a judge on the Flemish version of The Great British Bake Off and the author of The British Baking Book and has recently published The Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook with Weldon Owen

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Tarte au Riz

Rijstevlaai

Rijstevlaai, tarte au riz, blanke Doreye, or tarte blanche in Wallonia, from Liège, is a vlaai filled with rice pudding. In Verviers in Wallonia the tart is preserved by the Seigneurie de la Vèrvî-riz.

There are first references to this tart in a cookbook from 1604: Lancelot de Casteau, master cook of three Prince-Bishops of Liège, published an ancestor of the rice tart in his Ouverture de Cuisine. While today the rice pie is always flavoured with vanilla, this is a modern development as vanilla wasn’t available in the 17th century. Lancelot suggests cinnamon and rosewater, which you should definitely try. A cookbook from 1917 titled Le Coin de la Ménagère par Tante Colinette also uses cinnamon and even adds broth. Both recipes use rice that has been cooked some time before baking, rather than using it straightaway. This does indeed improve the texture of the rice.

Lancelot instructs to finish the tarts like the others in his chapter, which means adding a lattice top. Today this vlaai is never made with a lattice top as the cooked rice looks very agreeable, although it might not have been fancy enough for Prince-Bishops of Liège in the zeitgeist of the early 1600s.

There are two main differences between a Flemish/Dutch rijstevlaai and a tarte au riz from Wallonia: the first adds custard to the finished rice pudding while the latter just adds eggs, the Liège rice tart whisking the egg white to stiff peaks. The Walloon version is therefore lighter than the Flemish/Dutch version. In Verviers they used to add crushed almond macaroons to the rice. The best rice tart I’ve ever had came from a bakery in a little town in Ostbelgien. I’ve attempted to recreate it below. In a good rice tart the filling isn’t very solid, but barely keeping together.

Makes 1 large tart

For the rice pudding

1 ½ qt whole milk

1/8 tsp each of ground cinnamon and rosewater, or 1 vanilla bean, split

¾ cup (140 g) pudding rice or risotto rice

2 medium eggs + 1 egg yolk

¼ cup (50 g) superfine sugar

1½ Tbsp (20 g) unsalted butter, melted

1 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar

For the pastry

2 cups (250 g) bread flour

7 Tbsp (100 g) unsalted butter, softened

2 Tbsp (25 g) superfine sugar

2¼ tsp (7 g) instant dry yeast

½ tsp salt

6 Tbsp water

Use an 11-inch top diameter x 10-inch base diameter x 11/4-inch depth tart tin, greased and floured. Start a day ahead of baking.

To prepare the rice for the rice pudding, 1 day ahead, simmer the milk with the cinnamon and rosewater or the vanilla bean and the rice in a saucepan over low heat, covered, for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the rice is tender, uncover the pan and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool slightly, remove the vanilla bean if you used it, then cover the rice and keep it in the fridge overnight.

The next day, remove the rice from the fridge 1 hour before cooking. Make the pastry according to the instructions on page 169.

While the dough is rising, to make the rice pudding, beat the 2 eggs with the superfine sugar until creamy, as though you are making custard. Stir the egg mixture into the saucepan with the rice and add the butter. Return the pan to the stove over low heat. Simmer for 20 minutes until it thickens, stirring constantly, then remove the pan from the heat and stir occasionally until the pudding has cooled down.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Do not use the fan setting.

When the dough has risen, knock out the air and roll out the dough as thin as you can, then place it over the greased and floured tin, press into the base, and cut away the excess pastry. Pierce the bottom all over with a fork, then spoon the rice pudding into the tart, reserving 2 tablespoons of the mixture. Mix the extra egg yolk and the confectioners’ sugar with the reserved rice pudding and spread that on top of the vlaai, leveling the top using a pastry brush. You will have a little pastry and filling left over; enough to make 2 small tarts.

Bake the tart in the middle of the oven for 40–45 minutes until golden brown with pale flecks. Set aside to cool before serving.

Recipe published with permission from Insight Editions.