Ingredients
The base
- 1.5 litresbuttermilk
- or 1.5 litres plain yoghurt
- or a mixture of both
Equipment
- a clean cotton cloth or muslin
- or a clean tea towel
- string, to tie it
- a bowl, to catch the whey
To serve
- brown sugar, or caster sugar
- beschuit or rusk, crumbled
- or crushed biscuits
- ground cinnamon
- fresh berries or stewed fruit
Directions
- Use a clean cotton cloth or a double layer of muslin. Rinse it thoroughly in hot water first. A damp cloth drains far better than a dry one.
- Line a sieve with the damp cloth. Set the sieve over a deep bowl. Make sure the sieve sits well above the bowl base. The whey must not touch the draining curd.
- Pour the buttermilk or yoghurt into the cloth. Tie them firmly with a piece of string. Hang the bag from a hook or a wooden spoon.
- Set a bowl underneath to catch the whey. Draining it takes a full night. Put the whole thing in the refrigerator. Leave it for at least eight hours. Do not squeeze or press the bag at all.
- Beat it briefly with a spoon until smooth. Serving it is done cold in bowls. Spoon it into individual bowls. Scatter brown sugar generously over it.
- Crumble beschuit or biscuit over the top. That crumb against the smooth cream is the point. Dust ground cinnamon over the whole thing.
- Add fresh berries or stewed fruit if you like. It keeps four days refrigerated in a covered dish.
Technique
- The whole recipe is draining away the whey, with no cooking at any point: the acid in cultured milk has already curdled the proteins, and draining separates that gel from the watery whey on the same principle as making a fresh cheese.
- Never squeeze or press the bag, since squeezing pushes fine curd through the cloth and makes the hangop grainy rather than smooth.
- The drained whey is slightly sour and full of protein and should not be thrown away: it goes into bread dough in place of water, into pancake batter and into soups.
Substitutions
- Yoghurt, buttermilk or a mixture of both all work, and full fat gives a far better texture than low fat.
- A sieve lined with cloth works exactly as well as a hanging bag.
Variations
- Some cooks fold a little cream into the finished hangop.
- Shorter draining gives a softer pourable version and longer draining a firmer one.
- Fresh berries or stewed fruit are served with it as often as plain sugar.
History
The name means hang up, from suspending the cloth bag overnight; served with sugar and biscuit crumbs.
Frequently asked questions
What is Hangop?
Hangop is a dessert from Netherlands: buttermilk or yoghurt drained in cloth to a thick cream. The name means hang up, from suspending the cloth bag overnight; served with sugar and biscuit crumbs.
How long does Hangop take to make?
Hangop takes 10 minutes plus overnight draining of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Hangop?
Yes, within limits. Yoghurt, buttermilk or a mixture of both all work, and full fat gives a far better texture than low fat. A sieve lined with cloth works exactly as well as a hanging bag.
What is the most important thing to get right in Hangop?
Line a sieve with the damp cloth. Set the sieve over a deep bowl. Make sure the sieve sits well above the bowl base. The whey must not touch the draining curd.
