SC - More Speculaas

[Elise Fleming]

Greetings.  Found another booklet of cookie recipes while doing a major 
cleanout of my study.  Again, this is _not_ a period recipe.  Here 
'tis.

>From _Festive Cookies of Christmas_, Norma Jost Voth, Herald 
Press (Scottdale, PA), 1982, pages 36-37.

Dutch Speculaas:  Crunch “Speculaas” cookies were traditionally 
shaped in elaborately carved molds, but are just as decicious cut in 
squares sprinkled with almonds.  In Holland, St. Nicholas rewards 
good children with “Speculaas”, “Pepernoten” (peppernut cookies), 
and “Tai Tai” (a gingerbread-like cookie).

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cardamom
1/2 cup diced almonds

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add egg and milk.  Beat well.  
Sift together dry ingredients and blend slowly into creamed mixture. 
 Chill overnight.

For Squares or Cookie Cutters:  Roll well-chilled dough on floured 
board.  Cut with floured cutter or cut in squares or rectangles with 
knife.  Place on greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with sliced almonds.  
Bake at 300 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until edges start to brown.  
Cool on racks.  Store in airtight container.

For Molded Cookies:  chill dough in freezer 15 minutes.  Generously 
flour inside of mold.  On well-floured board, roll dough thick enough 
to fill inside of mold.  cut piece of dough to fit in mold and press 
in.  Flatten with floured rolling pin.  Slide spatula across to remove 
excess dough.  Remove immediately by turning mold over and 
tapping on back.  Ease cookie onto greased baking sheet.

For large mold, lay greased sheet on mold, invert to release cookie.  
Bake at 300 degrees about 20 minutes or until edges begin to
 brown.  Cool.  Store in airtight container.  Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

Ans van den Hoogen, a professional baker, says “Speculaas” retain 
clearer details of the mold when dough is very stiff and less baking 
powder is used.  Baker van den Hoogen allows, however, “In our 
shop we go more for flavor and are not so concerned with shape.”

Alys Katharine
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