flipKandeel, the Commander's Spiced Mulled Wine
Kandeel, the Commander's Spiced Mulled Wine
Why this dish? At the commander's table, we celebrate a doubled cape, an anniversary, or good news with kandeel—Rhenish wine thickened with egg yolk, sweetened and scented with the fine spices the VOC brings from the Moluccas.
A drinkable cream, hot and frothy, somewhere between eggnog and mulled wine. Beaten egg yolk thickens the sweetened wine; cinnamon and nutmeg perfume it. In the Dutch Republic, it is the beverage of great occasions, offered especially to celebrate a birth.
Come, gentlemen, and hold out your cups: here is something to celebrate the doubled cape. I beat my egg yolks with good Rhenish wine and sugar from the Indies, then heat it all without ever letting it boil—otherwise the egg curdles and all is wasted. I grate in my Banda nutmeg and a stick of cinnamon, and whisk until it foams like the spray under the prow. Drink hot, to the health of the Company and our discoveries.
- •White Rhenish wine — a pot (base)
- •Egg yolks — several (thickener)
- •Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- •Cinnamon stick — a piece (spice)
- •Nutmeg and mace — a grating (signature)
Kandeel, the Commander's Spiced Mulled Wine
A drinkable cream, hot and frothy, somewhere between eggnog and mulled wine. Beaten egg yolk thickens the sweetened wine; cinnamon and nutmeg perfume it. In the Dutch Republic, it is the beverage of great occasions, offered especially to celebrate a birth.
Why this dish? At the commander's table, we celebrate a doubled cape, an anniversary, or good news with kandeel—Rhenish wine thickened with egg yolk, sweetened and scented with the fine spices the VOC brings from the Moluccas.
Come, gentlemen, and hold out your cups: here is something to celebrate the doubled cape. I beat my egg yolks with good Rhenish wine and sugar from the Indies, then heat it all without ever letting it boil—otherwise the egg curdles and all is wasted. I grate in my Banda nutmeg and a stick of cinnamon, and whisk until it foams like the spray under the prow. Drink hot, to the health of the Company and our discoveries.
Ingredients (period version)
- White Rhenish wine — a pot (base)
- Egg yolks — several (thickener)
- Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- Cinnamon stick — a piece (spice)
- Nutmeg and mace — a grating (signature)
Ingredients
- Dry fruity white wine (e.g., Riesling) — 500 ml (base)
- Egg yolks — 4 (thickener)
- Sugar — 80 g (sweetness)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 (spice)
- Nutmeg — 1 pinch grated (signature)
- Lemon zest — 1 strip (freshness)
Method
- Gently heat the wine with the cinnamon stick and lemon zest, without boiling. Let infuse for 10 minutes off the heat.
- Vigorously beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture turns pale and frothy.
- Remove cinnamon and zest, then pour the hot wine in a thin stream over the yolks while whisking constantly.
- Return to the saucepan and heat over very low heat, whisking, until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon. Never let it boil.
- Grate nutmeg on top and serve immediately, hot and frothy, in small cups.
How it was made : Kandeel (related to English caudle) was a festive drink in the 17th-century Dutch Republic, made with Rhenish wine, egg yolks, sugar, and spices. It was customarily offered at births and celebrations. On board, only officers had the wine and spices needed for such a treat.
The contemporary twist : Served chilled in a small glass like a liquid sabayon, dusted with mace: a 'navigator's eggnog' that surprises at the end of a meal.
Abel Tasman · Charactorium
