SWEET SPOT

After a delicious dinner, there is little that puts such a big smile on your face as a tasty sweet dessert. A dessert has something festive about it; it is a small moment of pure happiness. But why is that actually?

MARTINE VAN DER DEIJL
PHOTOGRAPHY: NOPOINT STUDIOS
STYLING: DESIREE VAN DIJK
HEAD CHEF: JAN VAN OEVEREN, HOTEL LEUSDEN - AMERSFOORT

FOR DESSERTS, DIFFERENT FLAVOR COMBINATIONS ARE OFTEN USED.

For centuries, people have been ending meals with something sweet. In the past, sugar was very expensive, so a sweet dessert was something special, meant for festive occasions. And although sugar is now a mass-produced item, something sweet remains a real treat. After a meal full of different flavors, a dessert with sugar gives your taste buds a boost and provides balance to the menu.

PULLING OUT ALL THE STOPS

Desserts often involve different flavor combinations, such as: sour with sweet, fresh with creamy, and warm with cold. This allows for endless variations, making it possible to create a delicious dessert for everyone. Presentation is also important, as the eye also wants its share. Chef Jan van Oeveren from Van der Valk Hotel Leusden-Amersfoort says: "What's fun about a dessert is that you can be really creative when preparing it. You can pull out all the stops. You can play with all kinds of colors, like bright green or vibrant orange; something you better not do with a starter or main course, as guests might find it strange. With a dessert, you can unleash your imagination, and when I see someone pause in awe when the dessert is served, then I consider it a success."

VAN DER VALK CLASSICS

At Van der Valk, there are of course some classics on the menu, such as the dame blanche and the sorbet, which remain a hit, you can't ignore that. Jan: 'I enjoy the most putting a new twist on the classics. With a small addition - like for example some "gold powder" - you make such a Van der Valk classic just a little more luxurious.

Or we present it in a golden bowl. It may be a bit over the top, but that's exactly what I like. If you do it, you have to do it well.' DAYDREAMING But of course, the most important thing is that you enjoy your dessert, that you drift away for a moment with the first bite. Because sometimes a little sweetness is exactly what your day needs. So the next time you hesitate about having a dessert: just do it. It's delicious and moreover, it's an age-old tradition to end a meal with a nice moment for yourself.