When I was a child, I remember my mother preparing an egg-based liqueur for Dutch visitors who requested it to celebrate every New Year’s Eve. We called it advocaat…
I’ve found her recipe and now prepare it again for visitors to Angeberdière using fresh eggs from my hens and fruit liqueur from the orchard.
The origins of advocaat
Advocaat is a creamy egg liqueur of Dutch origin, with the texture of alcoholic custard.
Advocaat is traditionally associated with the Netherlands and Belgium, where it is very popular, especially around the year-end festivities.
The most widespread etymology tells of Dutch settlers in Suriname or Brazil who prepared a drink made with avocado and brandy. Upon returning to Europe, lacking avocados, they replaced the fruit with egg yolks, whose creamy texture recalled the original preparation.
The name thus has nothing to do with lawyers: it would rather derive from the Dutch word for avocado the fruit, advocaatpeer. Another explanation, less firmly established, evokes a drink appreciated by orators for soothing the voice.
Its appeal lies in this sweet paradox: it’s a drink enjoyed almost like a dessert. Dense, sweet, velvety and lightly alcoholic, it’s best served very chilled, in a small glass, optionally topped with a hint of whipped cream and nutmeg.
It’s particularly suited to festive aperitifs, digestifs or with coffee. Traditionally, it’s served at coffee time in a small glass, sometimes topped with a cloud of whipped cream.
Food and drink pairings:
Advocaat loves simple desserts, fruits and notes of coffee, chocolate, hazelnut or almond.
- Desserts: vanilla ice cream, crêpes, waffles, pancakes, cheesecake, chocolate mousse, fruit tart.
- Pastries: it can flavor a cake, soak a biscuit or fill a glass dessert.
- Cocktails: the famous Snowball combines advocaat, lemonade and lime juice; it also pairs well with champagne, apple, amaretto or coffee.
- Contrasting pairings: its rich quality is balanced by the acidity of citrus, green apple or passion fruit.
Feel free to taste it during your next stay at Angeberdière or take some home to impress your friends.
