Hagelslag Are The Sprinkles That The Dutch Love Adding To Bread

Chocolate in the morning? That's a firm yes. The chocolate that the Dutch enjoy at breakfast comes in the form of chocolate sprinkles, and tempting bites of chocolatey goodness are used to top fresh pieces of toasted and buttered bread. The word "hagelslag" means hail storm, and this is the kind of storm we will willingly subject ourselves to, especially during those mundane weekday mornings that call for a bit of extra pep.

The delicate chocolate sprinkles can be purchased in a variety of flavors, and while dark chocolate, milk chocolate, anise, and fruit-flavored sprinkles add a sweet taste to sliced pieces of toast, the texture of the sweet pieces is just as satisfying. The elongated sprinkles are the right combination of chewy and firm, and while the Dutch use these sprinkles on toast, the addition can be the perfect topping for cupcakes, cakes, bowls of ice cream, buttered croissants, pancakes, waffles, and other freshly baked goods. 

You may have to do some digging around to find these sprinkles, but online marketplaces and gourmet shops carry the international product. De Ruyter is the most well-known brand, and you can choose the kind of hagelslag that will satisfy your palate. From XXL (larger pieces of chocolate) to muisjes (smaller, rounder pieces),the possibilities for flavor and texture combinations are endless. 

If you have trouble deciding on which variety to purchase, kwinkslag offers dark chocolate and milk chocolate sprinkles in one package, but chocolate purists may appreciate hagelslag puur, dark chocolate sprinkles packing a higher cocoa percentage. For a sweeter, creamier chocolate experience, opt for haglelslag melk, the milk chocolate pieces. Though eating hagelslag isn't the neatest experience — pieces of chocolate are bound to end up on your plate or the breakfast table — this is a treat that will have you feeling like a kid again, regardless of your age or location in the world.