Sinterklaas Recipe Gevulde Speculaas From The Mrs

SPECULAAS HOLLAND COOKIES FOR SINTERKLAAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• For the dough stir together 1 1/2 cups flour with 1/3 cup flour,baking soda,salt,cinnamon,groud cloves,nutmeg.
• Next add the 3/4 cup brown sugar,mix well.
• Next cut in 1 1/2 sticks of butter and add the blanched almonds and milk.
• Knead everything together into a stiff dough,if its too stiff add 1/2 tablespoon of milk.
• Roll dough out on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness.
• Cut with cookie cutters into any shape you'd like.
• Lay out on lightly greased cookie sheet,bake about 20 minutes.

SPECULAAS COOKIES OR SPICY SINTERKLASS CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve the brown sugar in milk. Combine the flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar and milk. Mix in 2 tablespoons of almonds and candied citron. Cut in the butter until it starts to form a dough, then knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Cover dough and chill for about 1 hour for easier handling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Dust a wooden speculaas mold lightly with cornstarch. Firmly press the dough into the mold. Run a knife around the edges to trim off excess dough. Gently lift dough out of the mold or tap out onto a cookie sheet. Press remaining almond slivers into cookies to match the designs.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, just until the edges begin to darken. If your cookies are more than 1/2 inch thick, bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for up to 30 minutes. Cool cookies on wire racks to crisp. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month. The flavor will get better with age.