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Old 08-10-2008, 06:54 AM
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Default Molds or stamps for speculaas cookies?

I was reading about the history of speculaas cookies, and it seems that in the olden days they were stamped with images. Are there any cookie stamps being sold for speculaas these days? I guess they would have to be rectangular or squareish and not stick to the speculaas...
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Old 08-10-2008, 07:18 PM
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Nah, I didn't hear about any speculaas cookie molds. Tell us when and if you find any, I'm always up for some nice and new kitchen accessories. And if you're at it, how do you make speculaas cookies?
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Old 08-28-2008, 05:14 PM
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Here are some images of the molded speculaas on Wikipedia: Speculaas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are many variations on the recipe for speculaas (this cookie has been around for centuries) but this is the version my family uses:

Speculaas<
aka Speculaturs, Speculataas

Traditional Danish Christmas cookie

Cream until well blended:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Sift:

1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Beat together, then add:

2 Tbl. sour cream
1/2 cup broken nutmeats (pecans, almonds, walnuts as desired)

Form into rolls and refrigerate for 12 hours. Cut into thin slices. Bake on greased, floured tin at 375°F for about 12 minutes or until done.
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Old 09-02-2008, 04:22 AM
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I found some really nice speculaas molds at House on the Hill: they have an amazing selection that includes reproductions of medieval and Victorian carvings!
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Old 09-02-2008, 04:38 AM
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Are your speculaas cookies hard or soft? Traditionally they're hard.

The molds are really hard to find these days. Even in Holland.
You should dust the molds, put in the dough, remove the excess and then turn the mold over and it should come right out.
The mold on the website are all for single ones. There's supposed to be one for about 12 speculaas cookies that look like the store bought.
You can get them much cheaper if you don't get the wood ones but I haven't been able to find them anywhere.

If you find any molds could you let me know?^^ I've been trying to find them for a couple of months myself
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Old 09-03-2008, 04:42 AM
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Ours come out crispy, but I wouldn't describe them as hard. More like a warmish pizelle then, say, a shortbread cookie. If you slice them thick they're a bit chewy.

I intend to try some other recipes for speculaas this Christmas, it looks like the recipe that was handed down to us isn't quite the traditional one. (Which makes sense as we're a German family, so I guess the recipe evolved a bit over time and distance.)

We're a little wary of the cookie mold thing, we never had much luck with them. How do you remove excess dough? I've heard you should use a sharp knife, but do you scrape it along the edges or cut around the mold? Are there any videos of best practices?
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Old 09-04-2008, 03:35 AM
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The recipe I use is fairly easy to work with but I haven't gotten the spices quite right yet.
I'm making some today and if the recipe comes out right I'll post it on. I usually cut mine into little rectangles because in my family we also eat them on bread. Seriously they're really good that way.
The recipe you posted is very different from the traditional one. Traditionally it has baking powder and no sour cream. Have you had the real ones? the ones you can buy in boxes?
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Old 09-06-2008, 03:33 AM
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Default Speculaas

I made the cookies yesterday adn they turned out great except for the spices which I haven't gotten right yet.
As far as I know this is pretty close to the original recipe

100 gm butter
75 gm sugar
50 gm molasses
2 tbsp. water

2 1/2 cup flour
5 tsp. baking powder
pinch salt
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch cloves
pinch nutmeg

Cream butter sugar and molasses.
Add water.In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients and then slowly incorporate into butter mixture.
Leave in the fridge overnight (for the spices)
Preheat oven to 175*C and roll out cookies to about 5 mm thick and cut into shape then lift onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for about 10 minutes

This is the recipe for normal speculaas. There's a filled speculaas in Holland too which is more cakey and has a filling of almond paste
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Old 09-13-2008, 05:10 AM
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No, I'm afraid I've never had the real ones. Up until recently I thought my recipe was the real thing, actually. I started googling to learn more about them because the lady who wrote down the recipe for me (from memory) passed away and I wanted to learn about the history of them. Had a hard time in the beginning because her writing looked like it said "Speculaturs".
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Old 11-24-2008, 08:45 PM
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Hmm...those cookies(?) look fantastic. Are they 'crackers' like animal crackers are 'crackers' or are they cookies? I assume they are a 'holiday' cookie, what holidays? Thanks (trying to figure out when I should cook some up)
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