Better Late Than Never - Speculaas

I am an extremely stubborn person.  Yes, I know, it's shocking, but it's true.  ;)

I have been wanting to post about making Speculaas for St. Nicholas day (December 6th) ever since I started this blog in August of 2008, but I have never been able to find a speculaasplank that I could afford.  True, they are fantastic works of folk art, but if you don't have the funds, you don't have the funds.  $50.00 for the simplest mold just seems a little excessive to me.  If you start looking at the hand carved antique ones, then add at least an additional $50 but more than likely an additional $100.   So, since I have been denied the proper way to mold and form speculaas, I have steadfastly refused to make them.

Well not anymore!  (WooHoo!)

I found "a find" at an antique store in Gresham that is going to be closing. I bought 2 Speculaasplanks for $5 dollars each. Total bargain!  Granted, these are copies of older molds (meaning they aren't really antiques), but it was still a deal I could not refuse.

I am not going to retell the history of Speculaas and how the name derives from the Latin "speculum" (mirror).  I am not going to go into the Sinter Klaas story or talk about the Festival or any of that sort of stuff.  There are pages and pages of information available all over the internet, so I am going to let you do some research if you want to know all about it.  :)

This post is mainly about mixing the dough and using the planks.   After all, isn't successful execution of Speculaas the most important part?  I though so.

So let's get this show on the road!  These Speculaas are already a month late.   LOL 

Speculaas

 The lovers or admirers (vrijer and vrijster)

2 3/4 cups (13 oz) ( 365g) All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup (1 oz) (28g) Almond Flour
2 1/2 TB Speculaaskriuden (Speculaas Spice)
1/2 tsp Cocoa powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
6 oz (170g) Unsalted Butter
1 cup (6.5 oz) (185g) Light Muscovado Sugar (or Belgian Soft Candi Sugar - Brune Fonce)
1/3 cup (78ml) Whole Milk

In a bowl, whisk together the AP & Almond Flours, Speculaas Spice, Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt; set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter until light.

Add the Muscovado Sugar and beat until combined and fluffy.

Scrape the bowl well......

Add half the flour mixture, blending well.

Add milk, blend again.

Add the remaining flour mixture; mix.

You should have a very uniform, but stiff dough when done.

Form into 2 disks and wrap in waxed paper, then in plastic wrap. (Some spices can react with plastic wrap so I use waxed paper to protect the dough and then plastic to keep it sealed)

Chill for at least 2 hours, but preferably over night to allow the spices to hang out and get to know each other.

When you are ready to mold the cookies........
Dust your Speculaasplank with AP Flour, Rice Flour or Cornstarch. (I prefer good old AP flour)

Remove 1 disk of dough and break off a chunk.

Press into the plank.

Slice away the excess dough with a VERY sharp, well floured knife. (it works best if you can do it in 1 continuous stroke. Starting at the bolster of the knife and draw it towards you while slicing off the excess dough)

Invert the mold and give it a small "whack" on the counter to release the cookies.

If they are sticking, you may carefully nudge then free with a small offset spatula (don't use a knife or you risk damaging the plank) 
Once the cookies are free of the plank, brush away any flour or crumbs left behind (a skewer works well for removing stuck dough crumbs)
Transfer imprinted cookies to parchment lined baking sheets, leaving 2" between cookies.

Re-flour the mold and repeat.
Lightly brush away any excess flour (it doesn't have to be perfect, there will be some flour absorption during baking)

Chill the formed cookies for 1 hour while preheating the oven to 350F (175C) degrees.
Bake until golden brown; 10 minutes for small speculaas and 13-15 minutes for larger ones.

Move to a rack and allow to cool. (if you can)

There, now that wasn't too painful was it?  All in all, once you have done it a couple of times it goes really quick.  Granted, this is not as quick as rolling and cutting, but sometimes tradition is more important.  And let's face it.  These cookies LOOK wicked cool.  Am I right?

Goed Eten!!

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Spectacular Speculaaskruiden - Speculaas Spice Mix

Yes, I am stretching this endeavor out as much as possible, simply because I am enjoying the journey.

Now that I have achieved a Speckulaasplank, or rather 2 of them, it is almost time to make Speculaas.  But first, we need to talk about spices, for that is of paramount importance.  A speculaasjes just isn't a speculaasjes without the tangy zip of Speculaaskruiden (Speculaas Spice).

True, you can buy it in the grocery store.  OK, not so much here on the West Coast, but it is out there.  You can order it over the internet as well.  But you never really know how long it has been setting around.  Personally, I find that the path to the best Speculaas is paved with spices you have ground and mixed yourself.

My friend Cathy over at Dutch Baker's Daughter has a fantastic spice mix recipe.  Mine is slightly different, but I think that is primarily due to the fact that I am a little more Danish than Dutch.  LOL

Then again, it could be because I am a Mace hound and always have been.  When a recipe calls for 1/2 tsp Nutmeg and 1/4 tsp Mace, I always flip them around, using more Mace and less Nutmeg.  They come from the same plant after all.  Mace is the simply the dried peel of the Nutmeg.  But I like the subtle fruity quality that is has... Like Nutmeg, but with hints of Orange.  YUM!

Let's talk a little Cinnamon for a moment.  I am REALLY big on Ceylon Cinnamon, so is most of Europe and Mexico.  Not Saigon (C. loureiroi), Chinese (C. cassia) or Korintje (C. burmannii), known collectively as "Cassia" in some circles, but real honest to goodness Ceylon Cinnamon (Cinnamonium vernum).  Thank goodness there is a Penzey's here, cause it's getting harder and harder to find.  If you are using Korintje Cinnamon reduce the cinnamon in this recipe to 7 tsp; if you are using Saigon Cinnamon, reduce the cinnamon to 6 tsp or it will completely overpower the blend.

As far as the Coriander, Anise Seed.....  Well, you could probably leave those out if you want... I think the Coriander bolsters the profile by brightening the overall flavor while the anise lends it's own subtle "sweetness".  Don't worry, there is not enough to make the cookies taste like licorice, I promise.   LOL    The point is, your Speculaaskruiden really MUST have Cinnamon, Clove, Mace (or Nutmeg), Ginger, Cardamom and White Pepper.

Speculaaskruiden

The palate of a baker allows us to paint a picture with flavor.

8 tsp ground Ceylon Cinnamon
2 tsp ground Clove
2 tsp ground Ginger
2 tsp ground Mace
3/4 tsp ground Cardamom
1/2 tsp ground White Pepper
1/2 tsp grated Nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground Coriander
1/2 tsp ground Anise Seed (not Star Anise - It's too strong)

Blend everything together.

Store in an airtight container.

And NOW, we are ready to make some serious Koekje (cookies)

Mangia!!
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Wordless Wednesday - Speculaas Planks (Finally!)

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Stroop to My Level - The Stroopwafel

Yeah, it's time to travel to another part of the globe in the never ending quest for delicious waffles. Our journey, today, takes us to Gouda in the Netherlands. No, no, Gouda is known for more than just its delicious cheese. Oh yes... For it is also the home of the Stroopwafel. Which, in my opinion, is the bestest waffles EVER! (The Liege runs a REALLY close second).

What is a Stroopwafel? It is a very thin cinnamon waffle made from something that can best be described as a yeasted cookie dough. The hot waffles are split in two while still flexible, filled with a cinnamon molasses syrup (stroop). Oh Yeah Baby! It is then pressed back together and allowed to crisp up as it cools. Exquisitely delicious... Leave it to the Dutch to come up with something so decadently divine.

I have been wanting to make these for Eons, but a stroopwafel iron is a little hard to come by. At least on the Southern West Coast. Oh, they are available on Fantes.com for a small fortune, but I have never been able to justify the expense. Well, I found one, quite by accident, and I broke the cardinal rule for waffle iron purchasing:

"NEVER buy a plastic housed waffle iron, because it is incapable of getting hot enough to properly bake a waffle."

I can get away with following this rule, because I have no little ones running around that can get burned, just my own clumsy self. ;)

But I am digressing... What's so special about a stroopwafel iron...? Well the grid looks like this...

And much to my excitement, Rival is now selling one, and calling it a "Ice Cream Cone maker". Which is technically correct, since the pattern is the same as that of the Sugar cone (I have a feeling the Sugar cone was invented by a Dutchman, but I will have to research that).
I have noticed that things like this happen... Pancake puffs come to mind (which I will be posting about in the near future). I am sure you have heard or seen the Pancake Puff pan which became such a rage about a year ago. Can anyone say Danish Aebleskivers??? The darn thing has been around for centuries, but they gave it a new name and a commercial, and it becomes all the rage... LOL Life is funny.

Suffice it to say, that I now have a Stroopwafler/Sugar Cone Maker and for being plastic, it seems to work fairly well, except I have to hold it closed, because the lid plate isn't heavy enough to place enough pressure on the dough. This is something that I can work through. So without further babbling, I present ... Directly from Bowie, Maryland... Mrs. Watson's Recipe for Stroopwafels.

Nederlandse Stroopwafels

Makes about 32 pieces
(You will need a VERY sharp knife, preferably a fillet knife)

Wafel Dough:
3 TB Warm Water (105-115 degrees)
1 tsp Active dry Yeast
1 tsp Granulated Sugar
1 cup Unsalted butter
1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
Pinch of salt
1 TB Cinnamon
3 1/4 cups flour
2 Large Eggs

Stroop (Syrup):
1 TB ground cinnamon
1/3 cup Karo light syrup
2/3 cup Honey
7/8 cup Light Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
Pinch of Salt

Proof yeast in 3 TB water with 1 tsp sugar until bubbly.

Beat butter, 1/3 cup Sugar, Salt and Cinnamon, creaming until light.

Add the yeast, flour and eggs

mix with until crumbly.

Set the mixer aside and knead with your hands in the bowl until the dough holds together (it will kind of feel like sugar cookie dough)

Set in a warm place for about an hour to rise. (Don’t worry if it doesn’t look like it’s raising much, it’s a heavy semi cookie dough)

Meanwhile, make the syrup (stroop).
Heat Butter, Cinnamon, Corn Syrup, Honey, Salt and Sugar on stove in a small saucepan over low heat.

and cook slowly until thickened a bit (about 10 minutes).

Remove from heat, it will thicken as it cools, but still must be slightly warm and thin enough to spread easily.

If it cools too much, reheat gently; if it thickens too much, add a bit of Lemon Juice.
Heat your waffler.
Divide the dough into 32 pieces and roll them into balls

Place a ball in the waffle iron

Press down and hold it down for about 30 seconds.

Remove waffle, and with and extremely sharp knife, slice waffle in half, horizontally. Be quick, or the waffle will crisp up on you and all will be lost...

(They will be really hot, but you must be quick)

Spread syrup quickly.

Then press the two halves back together again and set aside to cool and get crispy.

Repeat with the remaining 31 pieces of dough.

Now the best part, eating a stroopwafel!!!
Place one over your cup of coffee to warm it back up.


Mangia!!!
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