It is only November, but I’m already looking forward to the Holidays and to bake up a storm of yummy goodies! Especially the things you can NOT buy here! Oh, the house will smell so good!I am talking about these amazing Dutch spice bars filled with almond paste:
“ Gevulde Speculaas”.
Speculaas is kind of a ginger bread cookie, but traditionally made in molds with beautiful mills or other typical Dutch patterns. You might have seen these at Aldi.
Jump to RecipeThe speculaas cookies or windmill cookies are more crunchy than the speculaas we use for the “gevulde speculaas “. “Gevuld” means filled. This treat has a layer of almond paste in between 2 layers of speculaas.
I made these bars in a glass baking dish and cut them in squares. Then I had the idea to make little packages for Christmas filled with these squares to give to my colleagues. Something typical Dutch. In 2018, we all went on a trip to Amsterdam and we had a great time, especially because of the food.
First we have to make Almond Paste
Marzipan is different than Almond Paste. Marzipan has less almonds and more sugar. It’s smooth and is used for decorating cakes. We are going to use Almond Paste for this recipe. You can make it with store bought almond flour or you can make it yourself. We usually have almonds in the cupboard to snack on, but around Sinterklaas and Christmas time they’re usually gone…into the almond paste:0)
You probably know Dutch letters filled with almond paste. Here is a recipe, which is way better than the store bought ones. That reminds me, I’m going to make those again next week too!
If you put 2 cups of almonds in a bowl, pour some hot water over it and let them soak for a few minutes, you can peel the skin right off. Leave about 8 whole almonds aside for the decoration. Blend the rest of the almonds in a blender. Not too long, because you don’t want it to become almond butter. Now you have almond meal.
Blend 1 1/4 cup of almond meal with 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest from 1 lemon, 1/4/ tsp almond extract (optional), so the sugar becomes finer as well. If you are going to use the almond paste right away, add an egg now. You can save the almond paste (without the egg) in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. It’s often even better if you wait a day or 2.
Please don’t eat the uncooked/unbaked almond paste with the raw egg.
Now it’s time to make the “Gevulde Speculaas”
The best way to do this, is actually to make the almond paste and the speculaas at the same time. Pop them both in the fridge overnight and assemble it all together the day after. Here is my favorite recipe adapted from “The Dutch Table”. I’m experimenting with the use of baking soda or baking powder. I’ll let you know what I’ll find out, soon!
Gevulde Speculaas
These bars are my favorite baked goods during the Holiday season. Speculaas filled with Almond Paste.
Ingredients
Speculaas layer
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp speculaas kruiden homemade
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 stick and 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 egg
Almond Paste
- 1 1/4 cup almond meal
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 zest of one lemon
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 1 egg (do not add if you're going to use it later)
Instructions
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Mix the almond paste ingredients together (except the egg) and store in an airtight container.
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Mix the flour, the baking powder, the sugar, the speculaas kruiden and salt in a stand mixer.
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Add the butter.
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Slowly add the milk and the egg until the dough comes together.
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Wrap the ball of dough in plastic and let rest in the fridge overnight.
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Preheat the oven to 325 F.
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If you haven't mixed in the egg in the almond paste, now it is time to do it. Take the speculaas dough out of the fridge as well and cut it in half.
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Roll one half of the dough out on a flour covered surface. Cover the bottom and sides of a greased glass baking dish or a 9" pie pan. Spread the almond paste over the layer of speculaas dough.
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Roll out the second part of dough and cover the almond paste. You can place a few almond halves on the top of the dough. Brush some whisked egg all over the top of the "gevulde speculaas".
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Bake for about 35-40 minutes on 325 F.
Note: If you don’t have speculaas kruiden, you can use pumpkin spices, or even better…make it yourself!
Hello everyone,
Welcome to my Crafty Dutch Girl blog! Grab a cup of “koffie” and browse through fun blog posts about our Dutch family expat life in the USA, Dutch history, Dutch recipes, Dutch things to do in the USA and all kinds of crafts and activities. Don’t forget to connect with me for new ideas! “Groetjes en tot ziens”.