flipAmsterdam bolus, the cinnamon snail
Amsterdam bolus, the cinnamon snail
Why this dish? The bolus is the pastry of the Sephardic Jewish families of Amsterdam, Etty's city. Rolled into a snail, glazed with brown sugar and cinnamon, it is the festive sweet of a community to which she chose to remain faithful to the end.
A brioche rolled into a spiral, brushed with brown sugar and cinnamon that caramelizes during baking into a sticky, glossy glaze. The name comes from the Portuguese boló, a memory of the Jews who came from Portugal to settle in Amsterdam.
This one we don't make every day — it's a festive treat. I roll the dough into a spiral, lay it in the brown sugar and cinnamon, and in the oven it all melts into a caramel that sticks to your fingers. It's a recipe that comes from far away, from Portugal, through our grandparents, and eating it is remembering where we come from. Eat it while it's still warm, when the sugar glistens: it's a whole little happiness, and those happinesses I gather like flowers.
- •Wheat flour — a pound (structure)
- •Baker's yeast — a little (leavening)
- •Warm milk — as needed (hydration)
- •Butter — a good amount (richness)
- •Brown sugar (basterdsuiker) — generously (glaze)
- •Cinnamon — as desired (signature spice)
- •Egg — one (glaze)
Amsterdam bolus, the cinnamon snail
A brioche rolled into a spiral, brushed with brown sugar and cinnamon that caramelizes during baking into a sticky, glossy glaze. The name comes from the Portuguese boló, a memory of the Jews who came from Portugal to settle in Amsterdam.
Why this dish? The bolus is the pastry of the Sephardic Jewish families of Amsterdam, Etty's city. Rolled into a snail, glazed with brown sugar and cinnamon, it is the festive sweet of a community to which she chose to remain faithful to the end.
This one we don't make every day — it's a festive treat. I roll the dough into a spiral, lay it in the brown sugar and cinnamon, and in the oven it all melts into a caramel that sticks to your fingers. It's a recipe that comes from far away, from Portugal, through our grandparents, and eating it is remembering where we come from. Eat it while it's still warm, when the sugar glistens: it's a whole little happiness, and those happinesses I gather like flowers.
Ingredients (period version)
- Wheat flour — a pound (structure)
- Baker's yeast — a little (leavening)
- Warm milk — as needed (hydration)
- Butter — a good amount (richness)
- Brown sugar (basterdsuiker) — generously (glaze)
- Cinnamon — as desired (signature spice)
- Egg — one (glaze)
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour — 300 g (structure)
- Active dry yeast — 7 g (leavening)
- Warm milk — 150 ml (hydration)
- Softened butter — 60 g (richness)
- Sugar — 40 g (dough) (sweetness)
- Brown sugar — 150 g (glaze)
- Ground cinnamon — 2 tsp (signature spice)
- Egg — 1 (glaze)
- Salt — 1 pinch (balance)
Method
- Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Mix flour, sugar, and salt, add the milk then the softened butter. Knead for 10 minutes into a soft, smooth dough.
- Let rise covered for 1 hour, until doubled.
- Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish.
- Divide the dough into ropes the length of a hand. Roll each rope in the sugar-cinnamon mixture to coat thoroughly.
- Coil each rope into a spiral (snail) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space. Sprinkle any remaining mixture on top.
- Let rest for 30 minutes. Brush with beaten egg.
- Bake at 190°C (375°F) for about 15 minutes, until the sugar caramelizes and glistens. Enjoy warm.
How it was made : The bolus is documented as a Portuguese Jewish specialty of Amsterdam, sold in bakeries of the Jewish quarter. Originally, the glaze was made with syrup or melted brown sugar; each family kept its own hand for the spiral and the dose of cinnamon.
The contemporary twist : Served warm with a pat of melted butter inside, "bolus beschuit" style — Amsterdammers still eat them this way for an afternoon snack.
Etty Hillesum · Charactorium
