I didn’t have much time to research cake places before my recent trip to Amsterdam, so I relied on the recommendations of my foodie friends and good old TripAdvisor. There appears to be a common belief that the Dutch do exceedingly good Appeltaart – apple pie to you and I – with the best being found at Winkel 43 in Amsterdam. Both my foodie friends and TripAdvisor were in agreement, so I marked Winkel 43 on my home-made map of sweet treats (that map was in fact the only map we had throughout our visit and not surprisingly, it did us just fine!).
Situated in the beautiful Jordaan district, just a short walk from our apartment and a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, Winkel 43 sits on a corner along the canal. The cafe is fairly small inside but boasts a large outside seating area which was packed full of locals and tourists enjoying their infamous apple pie. The whole time we were there I didn’t see anyone eating anything else, so it was only right we ordered apple pie.
We waited quite a while for our apple pie and coffees to arrive but the staff were incredibly busy, even at 4:30pm on a Sunday afternoon, and were having to dish out a shed load of apple pie with a new one arriving from the kitchen every couple of minutes. It was certainly worth the long wait! Not only was the pie humongous, it was everything you dream of in a homemade apple pie. The pastry base had been made gooey by the apple and sultana strudel-like filling which soaked in nicely. Not only did the filling contain huge chunks of soft tender apples but a strong – although not overpowering – hint of cinnamon, which added warmth and comfort to this family favourite. To top it all off, the pastry lid was thick and crispy adding the perfect crunch to every mouthful. The pie was served with a generous portion of whipped cream which although nice, both Sam and I felt it didn’t add anything to the dish – it didn’t need to!
There was only one downside to our afternoon apple pie at Winkel 43 and that was the fact we only ordered one to share. Judging by the size of each slice, many would think half is enough but believe me, after your first bite you will certainly change your mind. If you’re planning a trip to Amsterdam, a visit to Winkel 43 is a must!
Het leven het leven, liefdevolle tart,
H x