Speculoos
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This recipe for Belgian Speculoos is from the special speculoos shop, Dandoy Biscuiterie, located across from St. Nicolas Church on rue du Buerre or Boterstraat, in Brussels.
Speculoos, which belongs to the family of gingerbreads, is made from flour, butter, and dark brown sugar, with just cinnamon and a bit of cloves. The name comes from the Latin word "speculum" and symbolizes a character's reflection in a mirror. However, in Belgium "loos" means "without spices." As spices were more expensive in Belgium during the 1600s than in the Netherlands, they developed their own recipe with fewer spices, just cinnamon and cloves. The Dutch "speculaas" has cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger. Traditionally in Belgium, well-behaved children receive speculoos during St Nicolas celebration.
—Dandoy Biscuiterie, adapted
It works very well to use a pastry brush to paint the mold cavity with vegetable oil. Then I liberally coat it with flour and bang the mold to knock the flour out before putting the dough into the mold. Flour again and bang before molding each cookie. See Tips for making molded cookies with cookie boards.
Ingredients
- 3 cups dark brown sugar
- 1 cup + 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch cloves
- 3.38 oz (1/3 cup) water
- 4-5 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
Directions
- Beat together brown sugar, butter, and spices; add water, mix until well blended.
- Combine 4 cups flour, baking soda, and salt; blend into mixture to make a thick dough. If too soft, add more flour, or chill 1/2 to 1 hour.
- Oil and flour the mold, as above, press dough in with your hand. Trim with a thin wire or knife (an extra large cheese slicer works well). Bang the mold on the cookie sheet and the dough will drop out.
- Bake at 350 - 375° for about 10 minutes (depending on thickness of cookies).
From Dandoy Biscuiterie since 1829, Brussels, Belgium.
From Dandoy booklet from Daydoy Biscuiterie, Brussels.
Click to read the whole booklet.
Additional source:
- "The story of Speculoos: The Belgian biscuit that united a nation" by Isabella Vivian, The Brussels Times, December 23, 2023