Dutch Speculations (Speckulaas)
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Ingredients
| 1 cup | sweet butter | | 2 cups | brown sugar | | 2 | lemon | | 2 | eggs | | 1/2 tsp. | powdered cloves or | | 1/8 tsp. | powdered cardamom | | 1 tbsp. | cinnamon | | 1 tsp. | nutmeg | | 4 cups | all purpose flour, sifted | | 1 tsp. | baking powder | | 2 to 3 tbsp. | milk, or | | as needed | | 1/4 cup | blanched chopped almonds (optional) |
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Instructions
Let butter soften slightly at room temperature. Then cream with sugar until fluffy. Add lemon rind and mix in eggs. Beat in spices. Resift flour with baking powder and stir into butter mixture. Add milk as needed to make dough smooth. Knead dough gently, adding almonds. Chill 4 to 5 hours. Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness and press patterns in with floured mold. Cut cookies apart and place on lightly buttered baking sheets. Leftover pieces of dough can be gathered together, rolled, chilled and reshaped.)
Bake in preheated 400 F. oven for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 F. and bake 25 minutes more, or until golden brown. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.
Visions of SugarPlums
Author's Comments
The biggest speculation about these cookies concerns their origin. They are claimed by the Dutch, the Danish, the Belgians and the Rhinelanders. They are also Christmas standards in our own Pennsylvania Dutch country. In Holland, windmill patterned Speckulaas molds are pressed onto the rolled out dough, while in other countries, Santa Claus, Christmas trees, stars and wreaths are used. Springerle forms can be substituted for Speckulaas molds.
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