Carrying on with our Netherlands theme. Stuffed Monkeys were introduced into the UK by a Dutch baker in London. However, these delicacies were predominantly made in northern England. I was first introduced to them in the early 1970’s. After shul on a winter’s Friday night I went to have a cup of tea at a friends apartment. His, Sunderland born, mother brought out a plate of these delicious treats. A worthy preamble to any Shabbat dinner Come on our Netherlands cruise this coming August and you can try them for yourselves.
For the filling (stuffing):
- 50 g raisins or sultanas
- 25 g currants
- 25 g mixed candied peel, chopped
- 1-2 tablespoon smooth fruit jam
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For the dough:
- 1 egg
- 50 g caster sugar
- 25 g light brown sugar
- 65 ml vegetable oil
- 200 g plain flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1-2 teaspoon granulated sugar to sprinkle
Instructions
- Combine the raisins, currants and candied peel in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of hot water from the kettle. Cover and microwave for 1 minute, then remove the lid, and stir until the fruit has absorbed the liquid
- Whisk together the egg, both sugars and the oil until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and mix well to give a soft dough.
- Tip out the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead lightly for a few moments. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Wrap in saran wrap) and leave in the fridge to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone liner. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
- Add the jam/marmalade and cinnamon to the dried fruit mixture. Mix everything well until thoroughly combined.
- After about 15 minutes, remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap it. Roll the dough out into a long rectangle, about 6mm (¼ inch) thick. Trim the edges to give a long strip approximately 8-10cm (3-4 inches) wide.
- Lightly brush one long edge of the dough strip with water. Spread about ⅔-¾ of the prepared filling over the middle of the strip of dough, then carefully lift up one edge and place over the filling. Press the long edges together to seal.
- If desired, brush the top of the roll lightly with a small amount of water and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Cut the roll into approximately 3cm (1¼ inch) pieces – you will need to make sure that you cut right through any raisins or currants. Transfer the pieces to the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
- Bake the stuffed monkeys at 170°C (340°F) for 12-15 minutes, until just starting to lightly colour at the edges – they should not be brown all over. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Malcolm Green comes from three generations of caterers and has spent his life running kosher hotels, catering companies, destination weddings, and more than 70 glatt-kosher cruises around the world. Having absorbed global cuisines throughout his travels, he brings that experience into every menu he creates. Today, he oversees our kosher menu planning and food logistics, with all meals freshly prepared in our onboard kosher kitchens.
