Dutch Speculaas Recipe.
This time next week we will be heading home after spending Easter with Canvas Holidays in Dunirell. We are thrilled to be working with Canvas Holidays this year as they celebrate their 50th birthday, along with Mr B. It will be the first time I have been away with Canvas Holidays since I was about 12 so it is going to be great to see just how much has changed in all that time! Well for a start we aren’t even staying in a tent, we are staying in a holiday home! Complete with three bedrooms and all the self catering mod cons you could ever wish for. Plus it is Holland, not France. I am not sure that Canvas Holidays went anywhere back when we were holidaying with them, and we certainly went to a lot of their French campsites when I was little. So Holland with them is a first for me.
Though not for us as a couple, and it’s the reason why we picked this site. We both love Holland, Mr B having lived there for a few years back in the day, and it being the first place we went away together when we first met. You might remember this blog post about that weekend: Mrs Starfish a post that makes my eyes moist if I am honest
I can’t wait to go and explore Rotterdam and take lots of photographs of tulips and windmills. Oh and cheese. There is going to be lots of cheese I suspect. We will probably avoid Amsterdam as we have been there before, though it is only a tram ride away if we change our minds. But I really want to explore the countryside and get out in the tulips to take some photos. And explore the nature reserve that we are staying on.
To get in the mood for Holland I decide to have a go at making some Dutch Speculaas (having had a trial run with the Cointreau and Tequila cookies, I said hello) despite the fact they are traditionally for Christmas. Pfft to that I say. I love the flavour of these biscuits and love that you can now buy it as a spread because in our ice cream maker it makes the most amazing ice cream too. But to the biscuits, this is my recipe:
- 250g of plain flour
- 1tsp baking powder
- 150g soft light brown sugar
- 125g softened butter
- Pinch of salt
- ½ tsp of cinnamon
- ¼ tsp of ground ginger, nutmeg, cardamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- flaked almonds
- Put flour, baking powder, sugar, spices, ¼ tsp salt and butter in a food processor until mixture forms fine breadcrumbs.
- Add 1 tbsp iced water and process until mixture just comes together.
- Turn out onto a work surface, form into a ball, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm.
- Preheat oven to 170°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Roll dough in the palm of your hand to form balls and press down to flatten.
- Sprinkle the almonds on top of each biscuit
- Put onto the lined tray and refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm slightly.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack. Store for up to 3 days.
Enjoy with a coffee!
Ooooh the cheese. Ooooh the tulips. And now I know: ooooh the speculaas. Have a great trip. Can’t wait to see the pictures.
They sound lovely. I lived in Holland when I was a teenager and would love to go back and share my memories with my kids.