Dessert Wiki
Register
mNo edit summary
 
(40 intermediate revisions by 14 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
  +
[[Image:Speculaas.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Speculaas]]
  +
  +
'''Prep Time:''' 15 minutes
  +
  +
'''Cook Time:''' 15-20 minutes
  +
 
'''Yields:''' Makes 4 to 6 dozen (depending upon size)
  +
 
==Description==
 
==Description==
  +
====Speculaas or Spekulaitus====
   
  +
  +
A holiday tradition in Holland ("windmill cookies"), Belgium, Northern Germany, and Scandanavia.
  +
  +
They can be printed with Springerle molds that are of a low and even depth, or rolled into Speculaas molds that have been prepared by oiling (or using non-stick spray)
 
A famous cookie made from spices. It can be seen year-round but mainly around Christmas.
 
A famous cookie made from spices. It can be seen year-round but mainly around Christmas.
Note: Some Dutch/European specialty stores may have pre-mixed speculaas spice packages.
 
   
Sift the flour over a large cutting board or countertop. Sprinkle the
 
baking powder over it, the salt and sugar. Thinly slice the (hard)
 
butter or margarine and add it to the flour-and-sugar mix. Add the milk
 
and hand knead all until there is a firm but malleable dough. Pack the
 
dough into a piece of foil and keep in the fridge overnight (to allow
 
the spices to penetrate the cookie dough).
 
   
If you have a ‘speculaasplank’ dust it with flour. Press the dough into
 
the hollows, cut off the excess and sprinkle with slivered almonds.
 
Shake the dolls out onto a dusted countertop. Put flat, almond-covered
 
side down on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven at
 
180ºC for 15 - 20 minutes, depending on the size of the dolls.
 
   
  +
"Speculaas" is a Dutch culinary specialty.
If you don’t have a ‘speculaasplank’, roll the dough out into a thin
 
  +
layer and use cookie cutters or cut it into squares.
 
  +
It is a spiced biscuit, made with wooden forms. They are typically winterfood, and especially associated with the feast of "Sint Nicolaas" or Saint Nicholas, the original Santa Claus. This feast is celebrated on 5 or 6 December. Speculaas is very old, the spices used date from medieval times.
  +
  +
<br />The name seems to derive from the Latin "speculum" (mirror, the biscuits had the carved figure of the mould in mirror image). Old wooden biscuit moulds show biblical scenes, historic events, ships, windmills, mermaids, and of cours images of Saint Nicholas with the small children he had saved according to the legend. Single youngsters could recieve a "vrijer" or "vrijster" (lover m/f). According to some this could be considered as a marriage proposal from the giver. These large speculaas dolls (maybe they can be compared to the "gingerbread men") were often decorated with coloured icing, silver pills and even leaf gold.
  +
  +
<br />The speculaas biscuits from before, say, 1850, were made with a very hard dough containing rye flour and honey. These biscuits were so hard they could only be eaten if they were dissolved into a sweet (and tasty) porridge.
  +
  +
  +
  +
'''Note:'''
   
 
Some Dutch/European specialty stores may have pre-mixed speculaas spice packages.
===Ingredients===
 
* 500 gr. flour
 
* 250 gr. butter or margarine
 
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
 
* 1/2 tsp salt
 
* 125 gr. dark brown or Demarara sugar
 
* 50 ml milk
 
* slivered almonds
 
* 20 grams cinnamon
 
* 10 grams ground nutmeg
 
* 5 grams ground cloves
 
* a pinch of cardamom powder
 
* a pinch of ginger powder
 
   
===Directions===
+
== Ingredients ==
 
* 500 g [[flour]]
 
* 250 g [[butter]] or [[margarine]]
 
* ½ tsp [[baking powder]]
 
* ½ tsp [[salt]]
 
* 125 g [[dark brown sugar|dark brown]] or [[demerara sugar]]
 
* 50 ml [[milk]]
 
* slivered [[almond]]s
 
* 20 g [[cinnamon]]
 
* 10 g ground [[nutmeg]]
 
* 5 g ground [[cloves]]
 
* a pinch of [[cardamom]] powder
 
* a pinch of [[ginger]] powder
   
  +
== Directions ==
Beat margarine or butter with a mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds or by hand.
 
 
# Sift the [[flour]] over a large cutting board or counter top.
Add brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
 
  +
# Sprinkle the [[baking powder]] over it, as well as the spices, the [[salt]] and the [[sugar]].
Beat in egg and flour.
 
 
# Thinly slice the (hard) [[butter]] or [[margarine]] and add it to the flour-and-[[sugar]] mix.
Add chopped almonds if using them.
 
 
# Add the [[milk]] and hand knead all until there is a firm but malleable dough.
Roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured board and cut into shapes (windmills and Sinterklaas/Santa shapes are traditional).
 
 
# Pack the dough into a piece of foil and keep in the fridge overnight (to allow the spices to penetrate the cookie dough).
Decorate with whole almonds if using them.
 
 
# If you have a ‘speculaasplank’ dust it with [[flour]].
Place one inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.
 
 
# Press the dough into the hollows, cut off the excess and sprinkle with slivered [[almond]]s.
Bake in 350 degree F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
 
 
# Shake the dolls out onto a dusted counter top.
Cool 1 minute, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
 
 
# Put flat, almond-covered side down on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 – 20 minutes, depending on the size of the dolls.
 
# If you don’t have a ‘speculaasplank’, roll dough out thinly on a lightly floured board and cut into shapes (windmills and Sinterklaas/Santa shapes are traditional).
 
# Decorate with whole [[almond]]s if using them.
 
# Place about 2cms apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.
 
# Bake in 180c oven 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
 
# Cool 1 minute, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
   
  +
==General Directions for Printing Speculaas==
Makes 4 to 6 dozen (depending upon size)
 
  +
*[[General Directions for Printing Cookies|General Directions for Printing Cookies ]]
  +
[[Category:Christmas Recipes]]
  +
[[Category:Cookie Recipes]]
  +
[[Category:Christmas]]

Latest revision as of 04:56, 12 December 2019

Speculaas

Speculaas

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Yields: Makes 4 to 6 dozen (depending upon size)

Description[]

Speculaas or Spekulaitus[]

A holiday tradition in Holland ("windmill cookies"), Belgium, Northern Germany, and Scandanavia.

They can be printed with Springerle molds that are of a low and even depth, or rolled into Speculaas molds that have been prepared by oiling (or using non-stick spray) A famous cookie made from spices. It can be seen year-round but mainly around Christmas.


"Speculaas" is a Dutch culinary specialty.

It is a spiced biscuit, made with wooden forms. They are typically winterfood, and especially associated with the feast of "Sint Nicolaas" or Saint Nicholas, the original Santa Claus. This feast is celebrated on 5 or 6 December. Speculaas is very old, the spices used date from medieval times.


The name seems to derive from the Latin "speculum" (mirror, the biscuits had the carved figure of the mould in mirror image). Old wooden biscuit moulds show biblical scenes, historic events, ships, windmills, mermaids, and of cours images of Saint Nicholas with the small children he had saved according to the legend. Single youngsters could recieve a "vrijer" or "vrijster" (lover m/f). According to some this could be considered as a marriage proposal from the giver. These large speculaas dolls (maybe they can be compared to the "gingerbread men") were often decorated with coloured icing, silver pills and even leaf gold.


The speculaas biscuits from before, say, 1850, were made with a very hard dough containing rye flour and honey. These biscuits were so hard they could only be eaten if they were dissolved into a sweet (and tasty) porridge.


Note:

Some Dutch/European specialty stores may have pre-mixed speculaas spice packages.

Ingredients[]

Directions[]

  1. Sift the flour over a large cutting board or counter top.
  2. Sprinkle the baking powder over it, as well as the spices, the salt and the sugar.
  3. Thinly slice the (hard) butter or margarine and add it to the flour-and-sugar mix.
  4. Add the milk and hand knead all until there is a firm but malleable dough.
  5. Pack the dough into a piece of foil and keep in the fridge overnight (to allow the spices to penetrate the cookie dough).
  6. If you have a ‘speculaasplank’ dust it with flour.
  7. Press the dough into the hollows, cut off the excess and sprinkle with slivered almonds.
  8. Shake the dolls out onto a dusted counter top.
  9. Put flat, almond-covered side down on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 – 20 minutes, depending on the size of the dolls.
  10. If you don’t have a ‘speculaasplank’, roll dough out thinly on a lightly floured board and cut into shapes (windmills and Sinterklaas/Santa shapes are traditional).
  11. Decorate with whole almonds if using them.
  12. Place about 2cms apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.
  13. Bake in 180c oven 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
  14. Cool 1 minute, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

General Directions for Printing Speculaas[]