Spekulatius (Spiced Cookies)

One of my favourite Christmas recipes, spekulatius are spiced cookies moulded into delightful shapes. If you do not have the wooden spekulatius forms (from the Netherlands), look for ceramic cookie forms in kitchen stores. Cookie cutters in star, heart or moon shapes also work well. I like this particular recipe for spekulatius because it makes many cookies.

7 cups (3.5 l) whole wheat flour
2 tsp (10 ml) aluminum-free baking powder
1 3/4 cup (435 ml) butter, soft
3 cups (750 ml) natural sugar such as Rapadura or Sucanat
2 free-range eggs
1/2 cup (125 ml) almonds,
finely ground (optional
2 Tbsp (30 ml) ground cinnamon
2 tsp (10 ml) ground allspice
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground nutmeg
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2 ml) almond extract
Zest of 2 lemons
1/2 tsp (2 ml) sea salt
Milk, for topping
Blanched almond halves, for topping (optional)

On a flat surface or in a large bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Make an indent in the middle and add butter, sugar, eggs, ground almonds (if desired), spices, vanilla and almond extracts, lemon zest and sea salt. Knead into a dough, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease spekulatius forms with vegetable oil and sprinkle flour in every nook and cranny.

Roll out dough to one-eighth-inch (two millimetres) thick, then cut pieces large enough to cover each spekulatius form (about two inches/five centimetres in diameter). Press dough onto forms, making sure there are no air bubbles. Cut excess dough off the edge of the forms. Turn forms over and tap them lightly on the cookie sheet to release the dough. Brush them with milk and bake on the middle oven rack for 15 minutes or until cookies form a golden-brown rim. Cool on a rack, then place cookies in jars or tins.

Source: alive #242, December 2002