Recipe: Belgian Windmill Cookies (Speculaas)

BELGIAN WINDMILL COOKIES
(SPECULAAS)

"This is my favorite cookie anytime of the year."

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour with spices, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and mix well.

Stir in by hand half the flour mixture, then add the remaining flour and almonds. Mix with a wooden spoon or knead with hands.

Divide dough into four parts, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for several hours. (If you are using a mold, chill it as well.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and grease two cookie sheets.

Remove one quarter of the dough from the refrigerator and flatten it with your hands. Oil your mold and lightly flour it. Using your fingers, press dough firmly into the mold. Trim any excess dough from the mold with a knife. Transfer the cookies onto greased cookie sheets with a spatula, spacing about 1-inch apart.

Refrigerate dough trimmings to be rerolled later. Lightly flour but do not re-oil cookie mold. Repeat process with remaining dough.

When cookie sheets are full, bake cookies for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Store in a covered tin.

Makes 2 dozen
Source: PENMART10, 12-18-1999