Q&A with Hans Spitsbaard

By now, all of the Netherlands knows that he is good at chocolate. But Heel Holland Bakt winner Hans Spitsbaard (22) also bakes up a storm with other ingredients. In his new book Leer bakken met Hans he explains exactly how, so that we too can present the most elegant pastries at home. The book will be available in stores from 27 February.

In the foreword to your book, Robèrt van Beckhoven writes, ‘this book is typically Hans’. What does he mean?

That mainly has to do with the style of my baking: very refined, heading towards French pastry. Neatly finished with chocolate and beautiful decorations. They are real eye-catchers. I think that is important. When presenting something, I want a wow effect. The saying goes that true beauty comes from within, but pastry proves the opposite. It is also about the outside.

During the quarter-final of Heel Holland Bakt you say: ‘I wouldn’t know what to do with my life if the programme stopped.’ What now?

Do I know now? I do know that ultimately I want to earn my living in baking. I don’t yet know exactly in what form. Whether I will always want to keep kneading my own dough, start my own business, or choose chocolate-making after all. For now, I want to finish my studies while becoming even better at baking. I want to learn more about bread; that is a profession in itself. And I want to continue with chocolate because it has a very technical side: there are still so many types I would like to experiment with.

Who are your most important mentors?

Definitely Robèrt; he is very approachable. When you are in his shop, you can always ask him baking-related questions. In March, I will spend a week working in his bakery. I also follow all kinds of French pastry chefs on Instagram to get ideas: Christophe Renou, Philippe Conticini. But as mentors, they are difficult too, because the myth is that a pastry chef never gives away their exact recipe. I have been working on éclairs for weeks. They should actually be as neat as a toilet roll, but I can’t get it right. I follow the recipe exactly and yet my éclairs keep cracking.

Apart from the final, what was your finest Heel Holland Bakt moment?

Well, that nougatine construction. Both Robèrt and I thought it would never work. I practised it at home four times beforehand. Not once did it work. But I had too little time to change my plans, so I had to do it. My hands don’t start trembling easily, but they did a little then. While baking, I shut myself off completely and seem very calm. People then say, ‘you’re never stressed’, but apparently I am after all.

‘Now he’s famous and now we don’t get anything anymore’

How did your baking career begin?

At the age of ten, I baked my first apple pie and developed an interest in cooking and baking. I then worked in hospitality and one Saturday brought a boeren cake for my colleagues. That gradually became a tradition. Every Saturday I brought something along. It became increasingly technical. I made opera cakes and macarons. I no longer work there, and my former colleagues protest: ‘Now he’s famous and now we don’t get anything anymore’.

Indispensable kitchen gadget?

A rubber spatula. Available for one euro and absolutely indispensable. I once had all of them in the dishwasher, so I had to use a wooden spoon. That just doesn’t work.

That looks absolutely beautiful, almost too good to eat

Which cake would you bake for yourself?

The classic French opera cake, which is also in my book. It is difficult to choose what I enjoy more: making it or the end result. Maybe the latter after all; the effect is fantastic: neatly glazed and beautifully decorated with macarons. It looks absolutely beautiful, almost too good to eat. But besides baking, I have a second quiet hobby: photography. So first I take a picture, then I eat it.

What should everyone have tasted at least once in their life?

A brisantje! I had one at Robèrt’s recently. I’m not sure, but I think it is his invention. I think it’s brilliant. It is basically a croissant made from brioche dough. So brioche dough with butter in between. Double butter, incredibly rich, but really delicious.

Which pastry should be banned?

Tompouces with powdered cream, the kind made by mixing vanilla powder with water. Then I say, ‘no, thank you’. I don’t understand why people do that. Pastry cream is so easy to make. But of course, you do have to know how.

I would rather have too little sugar than too much

Are there things you enjoy making but don’t enjoy eating?

I really enjoy making macarons, but I find them far too sweet to eat myself. I would rather have too little sugar than too much. I do like the macarons from my book; they are fresh and raspberry-flavoured. There is often a sweet compote inside. I find that too much. Balance is important.

Which sweet treat do you have no self-control around?

Well, soft nougat; I absolutely love that. I love roasted nuts anyway, and then with cranberries. Honestly, I could keep eating it.

Which pastry book should everyone have on their bookshelf?

Well, mine is lying here on the stairs: Karamel by Christophe Adam. It contains more than 150 recipes and techniques. You can do all kinds of things with caramel. I especially like the book because it also includes all kinds of techniques. For example, if you grind caramel into a powder in a food processor and mix it into the cake, you simply have caramel cake.

Title: Leer bakken met Hans
Author: Hans Spitsbergen
Publisher: Uitgeverij Kosmos
Price: €20.-