Vlokken is popular in Belgium.
Vlokken is the Dutch word for flakes. As a food product, they are a variety of chocolate flakes that are usually served on top of stuffed bread. The candies are sold in a variety of flavors and are one of several types of candy topping served this way. They are a popular daily breakfast in the Netherlands, as well as in the former Dutch colonies of Indonesia and Belgium.
Vlokken is popular in the Netherlands.
To prepare vlokken in the most common Dutch way, a piece of toast is first spread with butter or margarine. A few tablespoons of vlokken are then sprinkled over the bread, usually in a layer thick enough to cover the entire surface. The chocolate is then lightly pressed so that it does not fall out when eaten.
Vlokken is sold in a wide variety of colors, textures, and flavors. Common flavors include dark, bittersweet, and white chocolate. Sometimes a combination of them is sold together. They usually come in thin, rolled flakes.
In addition to vlokken flakes, there are several other Dutch products that are similarly sprinkled on bread. Hagelslaag and kwinkslag are sweet sprinkles similar to those used for desserts in various other cultures. Also known as slushies, these candies are smaller, more uniform, and less brittle than vlokken. They are also crispier.
Muisjes are another type of Dutch pastry that is also served over a nice buttered roast, though usually a biscuit instead of bread. They are small, round and colorful candies made from sugar-coated anise seeds. They look not the same decorative. Muisjes are traditionally served in celebration of a newborn baby, with pink and blue candies, each symbolizing girls and boys respectively. Sweets are also served crushed into bread for daily consumption.
Although most Dutch people only eat vlokken open-faced and as a breakfast food, the topping is occasionally used in different ways. The candy can be eaten on its own as a snack or as a garnish for desserts. It can also be served in other types of roasts, or with another slice of bread on top.
Sweets similar to vlokken are also popular in other parts of the world, though more often for occasional rather than daily consumption. In the United States, small candies known as sprinkles are used to decorate desserts such as cakes, cookies, donuts, and ice cream. In New Zealand and Australia, granulated bread and butter is called fairy bread and is often served to children at special events.