Speculoos

These are the typical Christmas cookies in Belgium, the Netherlands, the Flemish area of northern France, and some German regions adjacent to these countries. They are spiced cookies that are usually given very artistic shapes with the help of molds. So much so that it's not uncommon for them to be part of the decoration in homes or hang from the Christmas tree, without anyone daring to bite into them after a month of collecting dust around the house. Since they contain hardly any yeast - and what's used is chemical - they barely rise, keeping the imprints almost intact.

As they incorporate butter in their making, they cannot be made too far in advance since the more fat a food contains, the more likely it is to become rancid.

INGREDIENTS:

• 250 g (9 oz) of all-purpose flour
• 150 g  (5.3 oz) of butter at room temperature
• 125 g (4.4 oz) of brown sugar
•  1 egg

Spices*

• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder 

  * The spices traditionally included are cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ground ginger, cardamom, and white pepper, some of them almost in a symbolic amount. I have opted for a simplified version that roughly has the same flavor.

1. In a large bowl, mix the softened butter and sugar until you get a smooth and creamy mixture.

2. Add the egg and mix well.

3. In another bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix until all ingredients are well combined and a homogeneous dough is formed.

5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This will make it easier to handle the dough and allow the flavors to settle. Traditionally, this process took all night, but the indicated time is more than enough.

6. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (356 F).

7. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

8. Roll out the dough on a floured surface using a rolling pin until it reaches a thickness of about 5 mm.

9. Using cookie cutters, create special shapes, or simply cut the dough into round shapes with an inverted glass (less artistic but faster).

10. Place the cookies on the previously prepared baking tray and keep them in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.

11. When this happens, remove and let the cookies cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

There's nothing better to accompany coffee or a good hot chocolate !