For coating homemade kruidnoten, choose dark chocolate, not kano pastries: these are ready-made biscuits filled with almond paste. The Albert Heijn Allerhande recipe uses 72% dark chocolate once the kruidnoten have cooled. If you’re looking for a biscuit to serve with coffee or a chocolate box to give as a present, you’ll need something for a different purpose. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of each product.
If you want to coat homemade kruidnoten in chocolate, you’ll need chocolate to melt once the kruidnoten have cooled. A ready-made kano pastry won’t do the job; the Albert Heijn Allerhande recipe uses dark chocolate.
If you’re after a biscuit filled with almond paste to serve with coffee, a kano pastry fits the bill. The kano pastries sold by Albert Heijn and Jumbo, among others, are butter biscuits filled with almond paste, not baking chocolate.
First decide whether you want to coat kruidnoten, serve a biscuit or give chocolate as a present. Only then is it useful to compare the type of chocolate, the quantity you need and the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Check whether you’re buying a biscuit filled with almond paste, dark chocolate for baking or a chocolate assortment. | I don’t want to pick up a kano pastry when what I really need is chocolate to coat kruidnoten, or vice versa. Around 45% of consumers prioritise choosing the right type of product. |
| Chocolate for coating | Compare the type and quantity of chocolate with your recipe. Albert Heijn Allerhande uses 200 g of 72% dark chocolate in a recipe for 10 people. | For homemade kruidnoten, I want to buy chocolate that’s suitable for the coating in my recipe, not just any box of chocolates. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this preparation-related question. |
| Allergens | Check the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging, even if you’ve bought the product before. | If I’m baking for someone with an allergy or choosing a present, I need to be able to check the packaging before using or giving the product. Around 22% of consumers put this check first. |
A kano pastry is a ready-made biscuit filled with almond paste. The coating in the Albert Heijn Allerhande recipe calls for dark chocolate instead.
Decide whether you want to bake, serve something with coffee or find a present, then choose the right product category.
The Albert Heijn Allerhande recipe uses 200 g of 72% dark chocolate for 10 people and lets the kruidnoten cool before dipping them. A different quantity or type of chocolate won’t necessarily work for this recipe.
Check the type and quantity required by your recipe before choosing a pack.
Ingredients and allergens can vary from product to product. Albert Heijn also warns that product information may change.
Before using or giving a product, check the current ingredients, allergens and any warnings about possible cross-contamination on the packaging.
Albert Heijn sells its own-brand butter kano pastry; Allerhande also has a recipe for chocolate-coated kruidnoten. These are two different uses.
The Jumbo kano pastry is a ready-made butter biscuit filled with almond pastry filling, for anyone looking for a biscuit rather than an ingredient for a chocolate coating.
Verkade makes cooking chocolate with 71% cocoa for baking.
ALDI describes Heerlijck Banket Kano's as ready-made pastries in a canoe shape, ideal for serving with coffee.
Lidl describes Sondey Kano's as butter biscuits filled with almond paste.
No. The kano pastries described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo are ready-made biscuits filled with almond paste. The Albert Heijn Allerhande recipe dips the cooled kruidnoten in melted dark chocolate.
The Albert Heijn Allerhande recipe melts the chocolate pieces in a bain-marie, then dips the kruidnoten once they’ve cooled completely. Choose the type and quantity of chocolate to suit the recipe you’re following.
No. Albert Heijn Allerhande describes pepernoten as softer and more irregular in shape, while kruidnoten are smaller and harder, and contain speculaas spices. The chocolate recipe discussed here is for kruidnoten.
Check the current packaging, including the ingredients list and any warnings about possible cross-contamination. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority outlines the mandatory labelling of 14 allergens; Albert Heijn points out that online product information may change.
