Warm spiced nummy nums! Gevulde speculaas are exactly what the season calls for!
Tasty holiday delights are what I’m all about. Well, sort of. I’m one of those that doesn’t like overly cinnamon-y spiced desserts. But throw in some cardamom and ginger, and you got a stew going…well..gevulde speculaas.
It always seem like the holidays sneak up on you, no matter how much you prepare. Mind you, I’m one of those crazy people that does her Christmas shopping in October, and they still sneak up on me. Perhaps it’s just that it all goes too fast. Chalk it up to being an old person that now says, “Meh, you people make my ass twitch…”. I have no idea where this is going but it should go to gevulde speculaas. Gevulde speculaas are a soft spiced biscotti-like biscuit with a sweet almond filling inside. The warm spices in the biscuit are just Christmas in every bite and the almond filling helps to make it chewy and lightens up the warmth of the spices. All in all a delicious holiday dessert – Whether serving it to your family or sending them off as gifts. I send off several of these suckers as my holiday cookie effort, and always get rave reviews – so I say give it a whirl.
This recipe isn’t complicated but it is specific so just make sure to pay attention to detail when making it. Also, make sure to not roll your dough too thin or overfill your roll, that will cause the sides to split. Beyond that it’s a little bit of practice, as with anything stuffed. Just remember, no matter what it looks like, it will be delicious. Off you go now my lovelies, be well and make merry.
Love fall & winter desserts? Try these:
Gevulde Speculaas
12
servings30
minutes30
minutes30
minutes1
hour30
minutesGevulde speculaas is a Dutch spiced cookie filled with chewy homemade almond paste and topped with golden almonds.
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Ingredients
- Spice Blend:
1 tbsp cinnamon, ground
½ tsp anise seed
¾ tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp dried ginger, ground
¾ tsp coriander, ground
1 ½ tsp cardamom, ground
¼ tsp nutmeg, ground
½ tsp cloves, ground
- Cookie Dough:
8 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
3 tbsp whole milk, plus more as needed
½ tsp baking soda
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp all purpose flour, for dusting
1/3 tsp salt
- Almond Paste:
1 ½ cups whole blanched almonds
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
- Assembly and Decoration:
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
¼ cup whole blanched almonds
Equipment/Specialty Items
Green CardamomGreen Cardamom
KitchenAid Rolling PinKitchenAid Rolling Pin- OXO 11-Inch Balloon WhiskBalloon Whisk
- Cinnamon SticksCinnamon Sticks
ClovesCloves- Coriander SeedsCoriander Seeds
Directions
- Spice Mix:
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
- Cookie Dough:
- Place butter in the bowl of your electric mixer with the paddle attachment in place. Mix until smooth.
- Add the brown sugar and milk and beat on medium speed until smooth.
- Sift baking soda, 5 tsp spice mix, the flour and salt into a large bowl.
- Add flour mixture to the sugar-milk mixture.
- Continue to beat until the dough is soft and pliable, adding a little more milk if needed.
- Transfer the dough to a work surface and lightly knead into a rectangle.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
- Almond Paste:
- Place almonds in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds – do not make the texture completely smooth.
- Add sugar, egg, and lemon juice, and process again until it is slightly smoother but still grainy.
- Finally add the lemon zest and pulse once or twice, just to mix. The paste should be sticky and softer than the dough, but still hold its shape.
- Transfer to a small bowl and set aside until ready to use.
- Assembly and Baking:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Roll out the dough on your silpat to form a 13 × 7½-inch inch rectangle–just over a ¼ inch thick. Dust with flour to keep from sticking.
- Brush 2/3 of the melted butter evenly over the dough.
- Spoon the almond paste lengthwise down the center of the dough to form a long sausage about 2 1/3 inches wide. Press down lightly to flatten the top.
- Brush the almond paste with the remainder of the butter and then using the silpat to help you fold the left side of the dough so it is on top of the paste.
- Fold the right side on top of this (again using the silpat to help you). The sides should be overlapping. Press gently to seal.
- Turn the whole thing over so that the seal is at the bottom.
- Brush the dough evenly and lightly with some of the beaten egg, arrange the whole almonds on top, and brush with egg again.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the dough begins to color and the almonds are golden.
- Set aside on the baking sheet until completely cool then cut into slices.
Notes
- Roll will flatten out, so don’t be alarmed
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 333kcal
- Fat: 18.4g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Cholesterol: 52mg
- Sodium: 138mg
- Potassium: 179mg
- Carbohydrates: 38.2g
- Net Carbs: 35.5g
- Fiber: 2.7g
- Sugar: 23.5g
- Protein: 6.8g
- Vitamin A: 14.6mcg
- Calcium: 74mg
- Iron: 2mg
- Vitamin D: 0.4mcg
- Vitamin E: 4.7mg
- Thiamin: 0.2mg
- Riboflavin: 0.3mg
- Niacin: 1.6mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.1mg
- Vitamin B12: 0.1mcg
- Folate: 40.1mcg
- Pantothenic Acid: 0.3mg
- Phosphorus: 128mg
- Magnesium: 56mg
- Zinc: 1mg
- Selenium: 8.5mcg
- Copper: 0.2mg
- Manganese: 0.7mg
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