Dutch Speculaas Cookies With Slivered Almonds On Top Recipes

DUTCH SPECULAAS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, molasses and orange zest. Combine the flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, ginger and cardamom. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until easy to handle. , Preheat oven to 350°. On a parchment-lined surface, roll a small amount of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Use a floured cookie stamp to press design into dough, then cut with floured 3-in. cookie cutters, leaving 1 in. between cookies. Remove excess dough and reroll scraps, if desired., Transfer parchment with dough to cookie sheet. If dough has warmed, place baking sheet in refrigerator until it firms up, about 10-15 minutes. Bake at 350° until edges are lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

DUTCH SPECULAAS COOKIES (CONTAINS GROUND ALMONDS)

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the salt, almonds, egg and 3 tablespoons of milk.
• Add the flour and spices and enough of the remaining milk to make a stiff dough. Mix well to work in all of the flour throughout the mixture.
• Roll into a ball, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Roll out and use a wooden Speculaas form to make decorative shapes or use cookie cutter forms. Place on a greased baking tray, brush lightly with milk and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

DUTCH SPECULAAS COOKIES (WITH SLIVERED ALMONDS ON TOP)

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar together.
• Gradually add sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, mixing well, until the dough forms a ball.
• Place on a floured surface and roll out very thinly until it's about 3 mm (1/8th inch) thick.
• Use cookie cutters to shape into desired forms
• Brush the tops with lightly beaten egg white.
• Decorate tops with slivered almonds.
• Bake at 190 C (375 F) for about 12 minutes or until light golden brown.

SPECULAAS TART WITH ALMOND FILLING

Steps:

• For filling:.
• Blend first 8 ingredients in processor until nuts are finely chopped.
• Transfer to small bowl.
• Cover; chill at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• For dough:.
• Sift first 6 ingredients into medium bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until blended; beat in egg.
• Add flour mixture and beat until moist clumps form.
• Gather dough into ball; divide into 2 pieces, 1 slightly larger than the other. Flatten dough into disks; wrap and chill at least 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead; keep chilled. Soften slightly before rolling.).
• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan.
• Roll out larger dough piece on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to pan and press gently over bottom and up sides, pressing any tears together.
• Spread filling in dough.
• Trim dough on sides to 1/2 inch above level of filling.
• Fold dough in over filling.
• Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12- to 13-inch round.
• Using bottom of cake pan as aid, cut out 9-inch-diameter round of dough. Slide dough round onto plate and freeze 5 minutes to firm. (Reserve dough scraps for cookies.)
• Place chilled dough round on tart; press to adhere and seal edges.
• Bake tart until crust is brown, about 50 minutes.
• Remove sides of springform pan; cool tart completely on pan bottom. Maintain oven temperature.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll out dough scraps on lightly floured surface to scant 1/4-inch thickness.
• Using 2-inch gingerbread-man cutter, cut out cookies.
• Transfer cutouts to prepared sheets. Repeat, using all of dough.
• Bake cookies until golden, about 8 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets. (Tart and cookies can be made ahead; cover and store at room temperature 1 day or refrigerate up to 3 days.).
• Sift powdered sugar over top of tart.
• Place small dab of preserves on back of 1 cookie; place at top edge of tart; repeat with more cookies, forming border around tart.
• Transfer tart to platter.
• Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour.

DUTCH ALMOND COOKIES (AMANDEL KOEKJES)

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugars together; then beat in the eggs.
• Add the flour and soda and then mix in the almond paste.
• If dough gets too stiff andd a few drops of water.
• Mix in the nut meats.
• Drop by teaspoonful on greased cookie sheet.
• Bake in 325° oven for 15 minutes.