Brussels' Special Speculoos Shop

During Sinterklaas season Biscuiterie Dandoy is a feast for the eyes with Sint Nicolaas speculoos cookies and marzipan in many shapes and sizes. The same famiily has made these tasty treats for six generations in the heart of Brussels. The crunchy cookies are made with brown sugar, butter, and spice—cinnamon and cloves. The shop, located at 31 Boterstraat (rue au Buerre), between Grand Place and the Bourse, is right across from the newly renovated Saint Nicolas Church.

The crisp speculoos cookies are made almost entirely by hand and molded in wonderfully detailed hand carved wooden molds. Of course the shop has many other delicious goodies, too. It is worth a visit at any time because many wonderful antique wooden molds, including Saint Nicholas, are displayed above the baked goods displays, as well as the always delicious European breads and sweets. The shop is so busy that even locals queue for these tasty treats.

There are five Dandoy shops in Brussels and their products are also sold in other shops in Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.

Large Saint Nicholas speculoos cookies fill the window before St. Nicholas Day.

Speculoos Saint Nicks come in various sizes and shapes, sometimes packaged with other treats. He is also available molded in marzipan.

Vintage molds line the area above the goods displayed for purchase. These wooden molds are all hand-carved and come in many sizes and shapes. In addition to Saint Nicholas, there are other characters, animals, and flowers.

How is speculoos made? At Dandoy the dough is made of flour, butter, dark brown sugar, baking soda and salt, flavored with vanilla, cinnamon and clove. Pastry craftsmen throughly knead the dough, the press it by hand into well-floured speculoos boards. Excess dough is cut off with a thin wire. The mold is tapped on the table surface to loosen the cookie which is put on a greased pan and baked. Then they are baked in a large conveyor belt oven.

Photos: Biscuiterie Dandoy

Used by permission

Two statues of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of bakers as well as children, grace the shop.

Saint Nicholas Patron Saint of Bakers

Saint Nicholas treats and more

Four sizes of St Nicolaas speculoos

Dandoy Shop tin

Dandoy shops in Brussels      31, rue au Beurre (Boterstraat)      14, rue Charles Buls (Charles Buls straat)      50, rue de Rollebeek (Rossebeekstraat)      22, place Saint-Job (Sint-Jobs plein)      9a, place Brugmann (Brugmann plein)

Link
Biscuiterie Dandoy

Photos: C Myers and J M Rosenthal, unless otherwise noted