Shopping list Speculaas dough
140 grams of butter (room temperature)
125 grams of dark brown caster sugar
¼ lemon, grated
a pinch of sea salt
½ beaten egg (room temperature)
2½ tablespoons milk
250 grams of flour from Zeeland
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ tablespoons of gingerbread spices
Almond paste
250 grams of white almonds
250 grams of fine granulated sugar
¼ lemon, zest only
1 free-range egg, beaten
some extra flour, to sprinkle
1 free-range egg, beaten
some halved white almonds
Today we bake filled cookies and because the good Sint has arrived in our country, we make filled Soeculaas (gingerbread) cookies. Because ask yourself this: what is Sinterklaas without speculaas? Do mind! Begin at least one day in advance for the flavours to blend properly!
How to make Filled Speculaas Koeken
Scrub a lemon clean then grate 1/4 finely.
Put butter, sugar, salt and zest in a mixing bowl.
Mix until all is combined.
Whisk an egg.
Add half the egg and the milk to the mixture.
Mix until all is combined.
Then add the flour, baking powder and spices too.
Knead all together by hand.
Roll the speculaas dough in cling film.
Place the dough overnight in the fridge.
Grind the almonds with the sugar and the lemon zest.
Gradually mix the beaten egg into the ground almonds.
Shape the almond paste into a roll then wrap it in cling film.
Place the roll of almond paste at least 1 night in the fridge too.
Day 2, preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with waxed paper.
Dust with flour, roll the dough to 1 cm thickness, then cut out circles.
Press almond paste on half the biscuits, all around leave 1 cm free.
Place the other circles on top, press the edge firmly tight some with egg wash.
Brush the biscuits with egg wash then press an almond in the middle.
Bake the biscuits for 12 - 15 minutes then cool them on a wire rack.
So happy Sinterklaas is back in our country!