Speculoos Food

SPECULOOS (BELGIAN SPICE COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift together flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• In the work bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients to mixer, a few spoonfuls at a time, mixing on low speed until combined.
• Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 60 minutes.
• Place dough on Silpat or parchment. Roll dough out to about 1/4" thickness - about the size of the Silpat. Use bench flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Transfer Silpat to a cookie sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Cut into 3x2" rectangles with a pizza wheel.
• Transfer Silpat to a cooling rack until room temperature. Store in a tightly sealed container.

SPECULOOS PROFITEROLE WREATH

Steps:

• Sieve the flour and ¼ tsp salt into a bowl. Bring the butter and 225ml water to the boil in a saucepan, then simmer until the butter has melted. Tip in the flour mixture and quickly beat with a wooden spoon until everything comes together into a smooth, shiny dough that pulls away from the side of the pan. Tip the dough into a clean bowl, and spread it up the side with the spoon to help it quickly cool down a bit (you don't want it to cool completely - it's easier to incorporate the eggs while it's still a bit warm). Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Set aside.
• While the dough is still slightly warm, crack in the eggs one at a time, beating well with the wooden spoon between each addition until smooth (you may not need to use all the eggs). When ready, the dough should slowly fall off the spoon in a V-shape - if the mixture is too runny, you won't be able to pipe it; if it's too thick, it won't puff up in the oven. Spoon the dough into a piping bag and snip off the end so it has a 1cm opening.
• Holding the piping bag at a 90-degree angle to the baking tray, pipe walnut-sized balls of dough over the two sheets - you should get 18-20 in total. Dip your finger in a little water and gently pat down any peaks on top of the balls. Bake for 30-35 mins, swapping the trays over after 20 mins. The choux buns should be puffed up and crisp when cooked. Leave to cool completely.
• To make the filling, beat the cream with the biscuit spread and spices in a large bowl using an electric whisk until softly whipped.
• For the caramel sauce, tip the sugar into a saucepan set over a medium heat, add 6 tbsp water and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat slightly and simmer, swirling the pan occasionally until golden (do not stir or the sugar will crystallise). Remove from the heat, add the butter and swirl the pan until the butter has melted and combined with the syrup. Quickly beat in the cream, vanilla, cinnamon, mixed spice and a pinch of sea salt. Leave to cool slightly.
• Cut each cooled choux bun in half through the middle. Spoon the filling into a piping bag, snip off the end and pipe over the bases of the buns. Sandwich these with the tops, then arrange in a roughly 27cm round wreath shape on a large serving plate or board. Drizzle all over with the caramel sauce, then scatter over the crumbled biscuits and gold sprinkles, if using. Best eaten straightaway. Will keep chilled for up to 24 hrs.

SPECULOOS (A FLEMISH SPICE COOKIE)

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Cream brown sugar and butter together in a large bowl. Add the egg and beat until fluffy. Add the dry ingredients gradually and mix until combined.
• Divide the dough in two halves. Flatten each half and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease two baking sheets. Lightly flour a work surface and your rolling pin. Roll out each dough piece until very thin. Cut cookies with a cookie cutter, roll out remaining dough and cut again. Repeat with the second dough piece.
• Put cookies on the baking sheets and bake until the edges start to darken, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool.

SPECULAAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, mace, white pepper, and cloves in a large bowl.
• Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in half the flour mixture. Beat in water, then remaining flour mixture. Shape into 3 disks. Pat each to a 1-inch thickness, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Dust surface and springerle mold lightly with confectioners' sugar. Roll out dough to a 1/4- to 3/8-inch thickness (deeper molds will need thicker dough). Cut a piece of dough about the size of the mold. Press mold firmly into dough, flip over, and gently roll over dough with a rolling pin. Flip over, and press onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a knife, trim excess dough. Gently coax dough out of mold with fingertips and onto a baking sheet. Repeat, spacing cookies 1 inch apart, and placing same-size cookies on same sheet. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 1 sheet of cookies in oven, and immediately reduce temperature to 250. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are set and just beginning to turn light gold around edges, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

SPECULOOS COOKIES & HOMEMADE COOKIE BUTTER RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• To make the splice blend, combine spices in a small bowl and mix until evenly distributed.
• To make the cookies, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and spice blend in a large mixing bowl,. Mix until blended.
• In a new large bowl, mix together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix in the egg.
• Add the flour mixture and combine until well mixed and dough forms.
• Remove dough from bowl and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2-6 hours.
• On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a ⅛- to ¼-inch (3mm - 6mm) thickness.
• Cut the dough into desired cookie shape.
• Optional: use speculoos style cookie molds to shape cookies.
• Place cookies on parchment covered baking tray and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12-14 minutes.
• To make the cookie butter, combine cookies, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and butter in a food processor.
• Blend until peanut butter texture forms.
• Enjoy!