Historic 1800s Oly Koek Recipe | The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Oly Koek: Grandfather of the Donut
Among the treats mentioned at the Van Tassel feast in Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is the oly koek, often regarded as the grandfather of the modern doughnut. This deep-fried “oil cake” was brought to the New World by Dutch settlers and evolved over time into what we now recognize as doughnuts. Recreating the oly koek brings a taste of Sleepy Hollow to life but also connects us to the Dutch heritage that shaped early American food traditions.
Quote
-The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving
Oly Koek in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
At the Van Tassel feast, the table overflows with Dutch treats, including the oly koek, offering a glimpse into early American and Dutch culinary traditions. While Ichabod Crane attends the feast hoping to win the heart of Katrina Van Tassel, the narrator pauses to enthusiastically describe the spread of food, capturing a moment in the rich culinary heritage of the Hudson Valley.
Historical Bites: What is an Oly Koek?
An oly koek (which translates to “oil cake”) is, in its simplest form, a deep-fried ball of dough. This traditional recipe was brought to the New World by Dutch settlers in the early 1600s.
Like many historic recipes, oly koek variations differ by source. The Sensible Cook, a historical Dutch cookbook, captures these differences, as recipes often varied from family to family. Some versions of oly koek were stuffed with apples or almonds, while others featured raisins and dried citrus pieces soaked in brandy. These ingredients not only added extra flavor but also helped the dough cook evenly without burning, while retaining moisture inside the fried dough.
Evolution into the Doughnut
As the 19th century progressed, the oly koek began to merge with the term “doughnut.” Both were still described as fried balls of dough, likely named for their size, resembling a walnut or nut. Washington Irving captured the interchangeable use of oly koek and doughnut in his satirical work, A History of New York, from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty (1809).
“Sometimes the table was graced with immense apple-pies, or saucers full of preserved peaches and pears; but it was always sure to boast of an enormous dish of balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog’s fat, and called dough-nuts, or oly koeks: a delicious kind of cake, at present scarce known in this city, excepting in genuine Dutch families.”
A History of New York, from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty (1809)
The transition from fried dough balls to larger cakes with a hole in the middle, now recognized as modern doughnuts, has many historical origins. Whether by design to ensure even cooking or by happy accident, the oly koek was likely one of the threads that contributed to this evolution, blending Dutch culinary traditions with new American influences.
1800s Oly Koek recipe | Sleepy Hollow
Ingredients
- 1 cup mixed dried fruit raisins and citrus
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1/8 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 7g packet active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 egg white lightly beaten
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 6-7 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
The night before
- In a measuring cup, cover mixed dried fruit with brandy to soak. Cover with a tea towel at room temperature.
The day of
- In a large mixing bowl, pour in warm water, sprinkle yeast with a pinch of granulated sugar, stir, and cover in a warm spot.
- Warm milk and butter in large measuring cup in microwave for 1 minute, 50% power.
- Use fork to mix in eggs, remaining sugar, and nutmeg into the milk and butter.
- Stir into yeast.
- Sift flour into the wet mixture a cup at a time, mixing until you reach the consistency of a soft dough.
- Cover with tea towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for an hour.
- After one hour, drain the fruits from the brandy. Tear off an egg-sized piece of dough, create a well in the middle with your fingers, fill with a teaspoon of fruits and close dough back up, pinching shut.
- Create all the balls first before frying.
- In a 5 /2 quart heavy Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil to 338-347F/170-175C. Use a sugar thermometer. If oil goes over 356F/ 180C, the dough on the outside with cook too fast, leaving the inside uncooked. Remove pot from heat and allow temperature to lower before placing back on and continuing.
- Deep fry a few dough balls at a time until golden before removing with a wooden or metal ladle with slots or holes. Do not use plastic when removing dough from oil.
- Olykoeks can be served hot or cold. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Video
References
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For those looking to explore more, pick up “The Sensible Cook” for a deeper look at traditional Dutch recipes or re-read Irving’s works to catch more references hidden within his tales.
- Irving, W. A History of New York, from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty …. United States, n.p, 1809.
- Irving, W. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 1820.
- Rose, P. G. The Sensible Cook: Dutch Foodways in the Old and New World. Syracuse University Press, 1989.
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