SPECULOOS: Traditional Belgian Spiced Biscuits
As part of a series featuring recipes from European Union member states, The Times Kuwait continues with the second edition, showcasing the cuisine of Belgium.
Crunchy biscuits made with brown sugar, speculoos are flavoured with cloves and cinnamon. They can be enjoyed plain, with vanilla, or coated in handmade chocolate. Crushed, they can be mixed with yoghurt, added to coffee, sprinkled over cheesecake, or used to top chocolate mousse.
According to tradition, speculoos are a tasty reward for well-behaved children during the celebration of Saint Nicholas on December 6. As crunchy as they are cheeky, these biscuits have the power to instantly lift your mood and brighten your day.
When nothing goes right, go speculoos!
This traditional speculoos recipe comes straight from Maison Dandoy, a Belgian artisanal biscuit maker established in 1829.
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 kg flour
- 300 g butter
- 600 g brown sugar
- 100 ml water
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon1 pinch of ground cloves
PREPARATION
- In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Whisk until the mixture becomes creamy.
- Gradually add the water to the mixture, stirring well to combine.
- If possible, sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda to remove any lumps.
- Gradually add the flour and bicarbonate of soda to the creamy mixture, mixing until a firm dough forms. Avoid kneading the dough for too long, as this may make it too elastic. If the dough becomes sticky, place it in the refrigerator to chill.
- Divide the dough into portions and flatten them slightly with a rolling pin.
- If using a speculoos mould, dust it with flour and press the dough firmly into it by hand. Trim away any excess dough with a wire cutter. Tap the mould against a table to release the dough, then carefully remove the shaped biscuits and place them on a greased baking tray.
- If you do not have a speculoos mould, roll out the dough to a thickness of 2–5 mm. Cut it into your desired shapes and arrange the biscuits on a greased baking tray.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake the biscuits for approximately 10 minutes, or longer depending on their thickness, until they are baked through.
TIP: All brown sugar is suitable for making speculoos. Just know that if you use pale brown sugar, the speculoos will be lighter in colour.
