Speculoos with Spiced Sugar Topping

I cannot resist trying a new Speculoos recipe. I am mildly obsessed with these crispy spice cookies! 😉 I love the spiced sugar sprinkle on this delicious version. They may be my new favorite!

This recipe was adapted from 177milkstreet.com, contributed by Erika Bruce. I modified the method and used a combination of molasses and light corn syrup instead of dark corn syrup. Next year I need to make a double batch!

Yield: about 60 2-inch square cookies

• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground coriander
• 3/4 tsp ground allspice
• 2 T granulated sugar
• 320 g (2 2/3 cups) cake flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground cloves
• 12 T (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cool room temperature
• 218 g (1 cup) packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1 1/2 T light corn syrup
• 1/2 T molasses

1. Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Line 4 baking sheets with kitchen parchment.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon, coriander and allspice. Measure 1 teaspoon of the mixture into another small bowl, then whisk the white sugar into it and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking soda, cloves and the remaining spice mixture.
4. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar and salt on low until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase to medium-high and beat until fluffy and pale, about 5 minutes.
5. With the mixer running, gradually add the corn syrup, molasses, and 2 tablespoons water.
6. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl, then mix for another 30 seconds.
7. Reduce to low, add the flour mixture and mix until the ingredients just begin to form an evenly moistened dough, about 15 seconds.
8. Dust the counter liberally with flour and scrape the dough onto it. Gently knead the dough, giving it 2 or 3 turns, until smooth; it should feel moist and supple but should not be sticky.
9. Divide the dough in half; wrap 1 piece in plastic and set aside. With your hands, pat the second piece into a rough 8-by-6-inch rectangle.
10. Using a well-floured rolling pin, or between layers of plastic wrap, roll the dough rectangle to an even 1/8-inch thickness. Wrap well and place in the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes. (I place the dough on a plastic cutting board to keep it flat.)
11. With a 2-inch rectangular or round cookie cutter (ideally with a fluted edge), cut out cookies as close together as possible. Use an offset spatula to carefully transfer the cutouts to one of the prepared pieces of parchment paper, spacing them about 1/2-inch apart. (I used a square cookie cutter.)
12. Gently pat the dough scraps together, then re-roll and cut out additional cookies; transfer the cutouts to parchment paper.
13. If desired, use a slightly smaller cutter of the same shape to imprint a decorative border (do not cut all the way through the dough) and use a toothpick to poke a few holes in the centers. (I put 4 holes in the center of each square.)
14. Sprinkle the cookies evenly with half of the spiced sugar, then freeze or refrigerate uncovered for 15 minutes. (I place the parchment paper on a plastic cutting board to put it in the freezer.)
15. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
16. Place the first sheet of cookies in the oven. Bake until the cookies are firm and beginning to brown, 14 minutes, on convection, or up to 18 minutes in a standard oven, rotating once halfway through.
17. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.
18. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Cool completely before serving.

Belgian Spice Cookies (Speculoos)

I am mildly obsessed with Biscoff cookies. They are my absolute favorite store-bought cookies (Trader Joe’s Maple Leaf Cookies are a close second…) When my friend shared this version from America’s Test Kitchen, I knew that I had to include them in my Christmas cookie assortment this year. I doubled the recipe. 😉

This recipe was adapted from America’s Test Kitchen via wskg.org.  I rolled out the dough and placed it in the refrigerator overnight. I also froze the cut dough prior to baking to help it maintain its cut shape. I weighed the flour and sugar and used freshly ground spices.

These cookies have the ultimate crispy texture. My husband thought that they had more cardamom than the store-bought version, possibly because I used freshly ground cardamom, but I thought that they were perfect. 🙂 Yum!

Yield: 32 cookies

• 1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) turbinado sugar (see note)
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
• 1 large egg

1. Separately, grind cloves and cardamom in a spice grinder.
2. Whisk flour, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in bowl.
3. Using pencil and ruler, draw 10 by 12-inch rectangle in center of each of 2 large sheets of parchment paper, crisscrossing lines at corners. (Use crisscrosses to help line up top and bottom sheets as dough is rolled.)
4. Process sugar in food processor for 30 seconds (some grains will be smaller than granulated sugar; others will be larger).
5. Add butter and process until uniform mass forms and no large pieces of butter are visible, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
6. Add egg and process until smooth and paste-like, about 10 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
7. Add flour mixture and process until no dry flour remains but mixture remains crumbly, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
8. Transfer dough to bowl and knead gently with spatula until uniform and smooth, about 10 seconds.
9. Place 1 piece of parchment on counter with pencil side facing down (you should be able to see rectangle through paper).
10. Place dough in center of marked rectangle and press into 6 by 9-inch rectangle. Place second sheet of parchment over dough, with pencil side facing up, so dough is in center of marked rectangle. Using pencil marks as guide, use rolling pin and bench scraper to shape dough into 10 by 12-inch rectangle of even thickness, about 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick. (If the dough spreads beyond the rectangle, trim it and use the scraps to fill in the corners; then, replace the parchment and continue to roll.)
11. Transfer dough with parchment to rimmed baking sheet.
12. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is firm, at least 1 1/2 hours (or freeze for 30 minutes). (Rolled dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 5 days.)(I refrigerated it overnight.)
13. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower‑middle positions and heat oven to 300 degrees, preferably on convection.
14. Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment. Transfer chilled dough to counter. Gently peel off top layer of parchment from dough.
15. Using fluted pastry wheel (or sharp knife or pizza cutter) and ruler, trim off rounded edges of dough that extend over marked edges of 10 by 12-inch rectangle.
16. Cut dough lengthwise into 8 equal strips about 1¼ inches wide. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 equal pieces about 3 inches long.
17. Freeze cut dough until firm, about 5 to 10 minutes.
18. Transfer cookies to prepared sheets, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart.
19. Bake until cookies are lightly and evenly browned, 30 to 32 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.
20. Let cookies cool completely on sheets, about 20 minutes. Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

Note: If you can’t find Sugar in the Raw, use 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (6 ounces) of packed light brown sugar and skip the sugar grinding step.

* Do not use cookie molds or an embossed rolling pin for the speculoos; they will not hold decorations.*

Swedish Spice Cookies (Muskotsnittar)

These buttery spice cookies may be the closest I’ve come to replicating my favorite Biscoff cookies. They were especially wonderful warm. Known as Muskotsnittar in Sweden, or nutmeg slices, they are also very easy to make. Freshly ground nutmeg is essential.

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart, via Martha Bakes on PBS. I weighed the flour, refrigerated the dough, modified the baking time, and trimmed the edges after baking. Yum.

Yield: Makes about 48 cookies

• 240 g (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar

1. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine.
4. Divide dough evenly into quarters, about 155 g each.
5. On two pieces of parchment paper (each the size of a rimmed baking sheet), roll each quarter into a 14-inch-long rope, 2 per sheet, about 4 inches apart.
6. Flatten ropes to 2 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick.
7. Transfer parchment to baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes or overnight.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection.
9. Using the back of the tines of a fork, make crosswise lines across the surface of each flattened portion of dough.
10. Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden around the edges and dry on top, 15 to 18 minutes.
11. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool 5 minutes.
12. While still warm, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch-thick slices. (I also trimmed the edges to make them more clean.)
13. Let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Cauliflower Tagine

This dish was the perfect way to celebrate my beautiful CSA cauliflower. Although the base of this tagine was a bit spicy, the cauliflower and cheesy breadcrumb topping offset the spiciness and created a perfect balance. Because I didn’t have the Tunisian spice blend, Tabil, on hand, I was able to create the spice blend myself. The spiciness in the final dish could be easily modified by adjusting the amount of red pepper flakes in the spice blend.

The tagine recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Nancy Harmon Jenkins. I reduced the amount of olive oil to lighten the recipe. I also included a leek as well as green and yellow bell peppers from my CSA share. The spice blend recipe was adapted from Epicurious.com. It was a full-flavored and fabulous vegetarian casserole.

For the Tabil Spice Blend:

Yield: about 3 tablespoons

• 1 1/2 T coriander seeds
• 2 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 T caraway seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1. Finely grind all ingredients in a spice mill.

Note: The remaining spice blend can be reserved in an airtight container at room temperature.

For the Tagine:

Yield: Serves 6

• 8 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 leek, cut into half moons and rinsed
• 10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons Tabil (recipe above)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 1/2-pounds cauliflower (about 1 to 1 1/2 heads), cored and cut into 2-inch florets
• 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 3 ounces, 1 cup,  Gruyère cheese, shredded
• 5 large eggs, beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 400°, preferably on convection.
2. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and leek and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, bell pepper, paprika, Tabil, tomato paste and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pepper softens, about 7 minutes.
5. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and water and simmer for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to the prepared baking dish.
6. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the cauliflower until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Spread the cauliflower in the baking dish.
7. In a small bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the Gruyère and season with salt and pepper.
8. Stir in the beaten eggs; spread the mixture over the cauliflower.
9. Cover with foil and bake in the upper third of the oven for 15 minutes, or until bubbling around the edges.
10. Uncover and bake for about 15 minutes longer, until browned and crisp on top.
11. Let the tagine stand for 10 minutes before serving.

One Year Ago:

• Fried Eggs with Greens & Mushrooms
• Arugula Salad with Corn & Burrata

Two Years Ago:

• Simple Caesar Salad
• Clams Casino #2

Three Years Ago:

• Roasted Zucchini with Thyme

Four Years Ago:

• Warm Lentil Salad with Seared Tuna & Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
• French Green Lentil & Beet Salad with Orange-Mustard Vinaigrette

Five Years Ago:

• Butternut Squash & Sage Risotto
• Pad See Ew

German Lebkuchen

I love having at least one spice cookie in my Christmas cookie assortment. This year, I selected Lebkuchen because I know my mom is a fan of them. I only made one batch- what a mistake! I should have doubled it (at least)… Next time. 😉

This recipe is from Hannah of the beautiful blog Domestic Gothess. I glazed the finished cookies and omitted dipping them in chocolate. I weighed the dry ingredients and freshly ground the spices in the dough. They were wonderful!

For the Lebkuchen:

• 150 g (1/2 + 1/3 cup) dark brown soft sugar
• 150 g (5.3oz) runny honey
• 50 g (4 T,  1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• finely grated zest of 1 naval orange
• 300 g (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 150 g (1 1/4 cups) ground almonds
• 1 T cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 large eggs

For the Glaze:

• 150 g (1 1/2 cups) Confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 T water

1. Put the sugar, honey, butter and orange zest in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda; set aside.
3. Beat the eggs into the sugar mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. In two or three additions, mix in the flour mixture until well combined.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least half an hour or (ideally) up to overnight.
6. To Bake: Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 (on convection) and line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Scoop out portions of the dough using a large cookie scoop (1 1/2″ in diameter) or measuring spoon (about 1 1/2 tbsp at a time), and roll between slightly damp hands into smooth balls.
8. Place them well spaced apart on the baking sheets and flatten them slightly with your fingers.
9. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes until firm and lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
10. Transfer the Lebkuchen to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
11. To Make the Glaze: Place the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl and gradually mix in enough of the water to form a slightly runny icing – not too wet though or it will all run off. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet.
12. Dip the tops of the Lebkuchen in the glaze, allow the excess to drip off then place them right-side up on the wire rack to set.
13. Once set, store in an airtight container. The cookies improve over time. An apple placed in the container may keep them more fresh.

One Year Ago:

• Speculaas: Dutch Spice Cookies

Two Years Ago:

• Chewy Ginger Spiced Molasses Cookies

Three Years Ago:

• Gingerbread Snacking Cake
• Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing
• Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Four Years Ago:

• Cranberry Bread
• Cranberry Relish with Apple Cider