Forum Thermomix
Thermomix Recipes for TM5 and TM31 => Cakes => Topic started by: trudy on December 19, 2011, 06:31:15 am
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SPECULAAS
These biscuits are wonderful for Christmas and they also keep well. You need to make the spice mix first but this keeps well and then the rest comes together quickly with the help of the TM. Makes Approx 75 / 6cm biscuits)
Spice Mix:- 4 tablespoons cinnamon
3 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 teaspoon ground aniseed
2/3 teaspoon ground coriander
Other ingredients:-
375g soft butter
300g soft brown sugar
pinch salt
rind of one lemon
500g Self Raising Flour
25g spice mix
Method:-
Place the sugar and lemon rind in the TM and blitz till rind is finely chopped.
Add butter. Blitz for about 10 secs to combine.
Add all other ingredients (salt, spice mix and flour) and mix on the knead setting until the dough comes together (about 2 mins)
Place in fridge for about 10 minutes to firm up.
If using moulds sprinkle them first with rice flour and press in the dough.
I just roll out the dough(flour bench well) and cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter, top with half a blanched almond.
Bake for 15 minutes appox in a mod oven.
They go crisp on cooling. If you would prefer a softer biscuit then don't cook as long.
members' comments
ES - the recipe made heaps of biscuits. I made up the spice mix using the tablespoon measuring set that I have - a tablespoon is 15ml and the teaspoon is 5 ml. I didn't have quite enough cinnamon in the cupboard, so I substituted about a teaspoon of cardamom powder, and l used star anise in place of the aniseed. When I measured the spice mix, it came to exactly 25g - I don't have any left over.
I started off using a mould, but it was slow going, so I rolled out the remaining half of the dough and cut out shapes.
They are yummy. I was worried that they would be too spicy, but they're not. I have to hide them from DH and the kids as they keep eating them.
Wonder - I've made these tonight and while they are nice I think I prefer the recipe from Devil of a Cookbook. I found the dough very soft and spread on cooking so they have held their shape well. I'll leave the mixture in the fridge for a while longer but don't think they are going to go very well using my stamp. I'm not sure what I did wrong as I thought I followed the recipe exactly.
Don't think the kids will like them either so I might have a lot of mixture left over.
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I have used fennel as a replacement for aniseed in something (?) Trudy so I imagine it could be used here too. Aniseed is not easy to get in my neck of the woods.
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Hi Judy, I also could get it at Woolworths but had no trouble at Foodland. They have it in packets (Menora brand) 17g but it's whole so have to crush it. I had some that I got from Herbies.
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Thanks Trudes, I will check it out.
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Judy, let me know if you want me to send you some.
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Thanks Trudy, will see how I go.
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I just saw a recipe for these spice biscuits in the SBS Feast magazine and they look delicious - thanks for a thermomix version. I would love to find one of the gorgeous molds they use!
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These look great Trudy. Just checking that the tablespoons are 20ml? :)
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Hi Julie, Just had to look as I just grabbed the nearest tablespoon. Yes it was a 20ml one. Have just made a batch of these and the house smells like Christmas!!!! Hope you like them.
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Thanks Trudy. ;D
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Just bumping this thread (thanks Trudy!) as it's getting to be that time of year again!!!!
Gillianx ;)
(gosh it's much easier typing this on a laptop than on a phone in bed!!!!)
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Thanks teagg. Will make these so that I can make Tenina's icecream.
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Thanks teagg. Will make these so that I can make Tenina's icecream.
Me too. Thanks.
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I will hang my head in shame, I saw them in Woolies and bought them. Now for the icecream.
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I bought some too yesterday Cookie. ;D
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Well I think you have to buy them at least once to try them out, just for quality control, so you can see how much better the homemade version is than the bought one ;) ;)
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An excellent thought Karen. :) :)
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These were always in the house growing up.....I really love them now dunked in coffee :-*
Mum still makes up Christmas plates for each of us, with these biscuits, pepernoten (little ginger biscuits)
(http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt266/nachothecat/610090d8b54852dd6485ee3cedeca79d.jpg)
and traditional Dutch sweets.
Thanks Trudy for conversion :)
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I made these today and the recipe made heaps of biscuits. I made up the spice mix using the tablespoon measuring set that I have - a tablespoon is 15ml and the teaspoon is 5 ml. I didn't have quite enough cinnamon in the cupboard, so I substituted about a teaspoon of cardamom powder, and l used star anise in place of the aniseed. When I measured the spice mix, it came to exactly 25g - I don't have any left over.
I started off using a mould, but it was slow going, so I rolled out the remaining half of the dough and cut out shapes.
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And how do they taste ES??
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OOps, forgot that part of the post. They are yummy. I was worried that they would be too spicy, but they're not. I have to hide them from DH and the kids as they keep eating them :D
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Just realised that my photo didn't upload either. You can see just how many biscuits it made!
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/12/03/3yre8uby.jpg)
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:o :o :o :o :o Is that all from one lot of the dough??
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That is a lot of biscuits ES but they do look tasty...
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Yep, that was just one batch :D
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That's a lot of biscuits ES, I'm sure you won't miss the few the family have been eating.
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Blimey!! That's a lot of biscuits ES :D :D :D
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I'm glad you liked them Sue. The good thing is that they keep for ages.
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Is someone who has the Devil of a Cookbook able to check and see if this is similar to the recipe for St Nicholas Speculaas? We were given some at a cooking class last night and I loved them. I'm not much of a biscuit eater but found these very moorish.
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Quite different, can email if you pm your email address Wonder
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This is great timing for me. I'm in the process of investigating Speculoos Spread recipes.... You can buy the spread from a cafe in the us and now the uk, and my eldest daughter desperately wants some. But she is gluten-free so can't eat the commercial one.
I will have a go at your recipe, with GF flour, and then use some of the biscuits for spread....
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Can you buy some from Belgium Anne?
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The spread is from a cafe chain called Le Pain Quotidien. I have bought a jar, but it's supposed to be a stocking filler for a non- gluten sensitive child, so I haven't opened it.
I'm afraid I'm decorating another child's bedroom at the moment, so I've not been spending much time in the kitchen...
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Goodluck Anne. Hope the spread turns out just the way your daughter likes it.
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I adore Dutch Speculaas. Do they taste like the bought ones?
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Pretty much Meagan. We have several Dutch friends and they love them.
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Excellent, thanks. I'll be making these soon, then!
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I've made these tonight and while they are nice I think I prefer the recipe from Devil of a Cookbook. I found the dough very soft and spread on cooking so they have held there shape well. I'll leave the mixture in the fridge for a while longer but don't think they are going to go very well using my stamp. I'm not sure what I did wrong as I thought I followed the recipe exactly.
Don't think the kids will like them either so I might have a lot of mixture left over.
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Hi Wonder, I made a batch of these yesterday and here in Adelaide it's very hot. Once I made the dough I placed it in the fridge and only took out just what I wanted to roll out. They didn't spread though so don't know what made yours do that. Perhaps do what Julie O said and place them in the fridge again after cutting out before you use the press.
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I was thinking that Trudy but unfortunately the family weren't a fan of these ones so will make the others again and think I'll have to bin the mixture :(. I must have been out with my measurements or something as they are very dark and I had a lot of spice mixture left over whereas someone else said they had exactly the correct amount. We found the texture of the mixture a bit too buttery and floury, if that makes any sense - hard to explain.
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Don't think it's my day to cook, didn't have enough cinnamon, so of to the shops, then not enough sr flour, that's ok ill use plain and baking powder, not enough baking powder. Luckily DD was at the shops .
Ready to go now and my machine just didn't like all that mixture, and just wouldn't cooperate, ended up kneeling it by hand, it's in the fridge now, will have to wait till I get back from work this pm. I had a taste of the dough, lovely and spicy. It's going to make a lot of biscuits.
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I don't like days like that Jeninwa. Some days everything I make turns out wrong. I give up early on those days. :-\
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Wonder, they are quite a dark biscuit and yes very spicy. One of my grand daughters hates them while the other loves them. As for the spice mixture I also have more than I need for one batch. Go with the one that works for you and your family as it's not worth making things that don't get eaten. I have been meaning to make the one from the Devil book but time has got away from me this year!!!!! It's funny, this year I decided to try another almond bread recipe instead of making the one I usually do - big mistake!! Stick to what works I say!!!!
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Thanks Trudy, I've now got both mixtures in the fridge and just need to get the time to roll, cut and cook. I'll have to think about what to do with this mixture as I don't want to waste it. Glad to hear that you also had extra spice mix so maybe I didn't do anything wrong.
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Wonder, if you have time to roll them out and bake them, give them as gifts or take them into work. I often take my cooking "failures" or family rejects into work, and they get hoovered down in no time there. I made a pavlova for the family the other night (trial run for Christmas) and both of the kids turned their noses up at it - so in to work it went. I think DH was hoping to eat it all himself ;)
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I agree Karen. When I was still working things we didn't like were taken in and that was then end of them!
When I was in Bruge last year I read about how people there use stale speculaas in muffin or cake mixtures. They either fold crumbled biscuits into the mix or/and sprinkle ontop for a spicy topping. They also fold a pinch of the spice mixture into meringue.
The article which I brought home mentions that the very spicy biscuit is for the winter months and the less spicy, more lemony version is for the summer months. Interesting!!!
Here is a Paste with White Chocolate Recipe from that article. Makes 4 jars!!!
100ml cream
500g sugar
20g glucose
20g butter
165g white chocolate
30g speculaar biscuits
8g speculaar spice
Put the cream, sugar, glucose in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat.
Add the butter and the chocolate and mix well.
Crumble and add the biscuits. Mix in the spice mix gradually and taste until the taste is right for you.
Pour the paste into fireproof jars and leave to cool before closing.
This paste can be kept for 2 weeks without refrigeration.
Delicious on hot toast or pancakes, the chocolate melts away leaving the crunchy biscuits.
Speculaar Paste with a Caramel Taste (2 jars)
1 can condensed milk
speculaar spice mix
20g speculaar biscuits (optional)
Mix the spices gradually into the condensed milk until it tastes right.
Heat up over a low heat, but continue stirring to prevent the milk burning. The longer you let the milk boil, the darker
the colour and stronger the caramel taste.
(Optional) Crumble the biscuits and stir into the paste.
Pour into heat-proof jars and leave to cool before closing.
This paste keeps for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Delicious alternative to peanut butter.
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I love the sound of the paste. I had better make some of the biscuits. May wait until after Christmas as we have lots of Christmassy things to eat at the moment.
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I have stopped as well Cookie. There is just Mum, Dad and me and we really don't need to eat any more than we do - actually we need to eat a lot, lot less!!!!
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Same here Trudy. I have Christmas Shortbread in the tin, fruit mince tarts as well as stained glass cake. We are happily munching through them. Our waistlines expand as we go. :-\ :-\
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Thanks Trudy I might make the paste to use up the biscuit mix we aren't as fond of.
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Have no idea what it's like Wonder but goodluck.