Dutch Speculaas and Almond Cookies

I love reading food blogs! And I just have to say that I´m so jealous at some of you... Beautiful lay-out, great writing ability and amazing pictures. I obviously am an amateur compared to alot of you. When I was doing this recopy I had trouble making pictures that wear at least clear. Are you all professional photographers ore something!

Anyway, I did the best attempt I can do and I hope you'll like it anyway and maybe even make it... if you do, let me know how it turns out.

This is a Dutch recopy, the Dutch may not be known for there great food but I wonder why. They have great foods for cold winter evening. Like these cookies with the main ingredient speculaasspices. A mix of spices that always give me a warm feeling, a bit like cinnamon always does.

If you are not able to find speculaasspices you can make it yourself , there are some variations but it's basically cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardemom and white pepper. Now don't think this recipe would be to much work, you probably have all ore most of these spices at home allready!

If you would like to know more I suggest you visit wikipedia ore Dutch girl cooking.

Ingredients
300 gr self raising flower

150 gr brown sugar
20 gr speculaasspices
salt
200 gr unsalted butter
2 tbs milk
50 gr almonds



And this is how you do it:

Whisk together the self raising flower, brown sugar, speculaas and salt
Then add the butter and use 2 knives to cut the butter in to the mixture (ore use a mixer, but I don't have one)
Flatten the dough into a round (using cold hands), wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least a couple off hours, if it's possible 24 hours would be perfect.

Get the chilled dough out of the refrigerator (the dough is hard right now) and wait until it is at room temperature
preheat oven op 160 degrees C (300 degrees F)
Flour your work surface and press your dough into an even, flat layer of about 0,5 cm (I believe that's 1/4 inch)
place the dough on the baking paper and make little squares by cutting lightly in the dough. (So not all the way through)
Use the milk to brush the top of your dough then sprinkle the almonds over it.

Place it in the oven and leave it for about 30 minutes

Allow it to cool,you should wait until it gets hard (but please taste some when it's still a bit warm!!!)
As soon as it has cooled off u can break it in squares.

Eet smakelijk!