Speculaas
Speculaas (Dutch: speculaas, French: spéculoos, [spekylos], German: Spekulatius) is a type of spiced shortcrust biscuit baked with speculaas spices originated from the County of Flanders territory in present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Not to be confused with speculum.
| Alternative names | Windmill cookies |
|---|---|
| Type | Shortbread cookie, Biscuit |
| Place of origin | Belgium/France/Netherlands |
| Main ingredients | Flour, sugar, butter, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg |
Speculaas biscuits are usually flat and are often moulded to carry certain traditional images (see image on the right). They are particularly popular around the feast of St. Nicholas (Dutch: Sinterklaas). The oldest sources on speculaas also mention weddings and fairs. In recent decades, however, it has become normal to eat speculaas all year round, especially with coffee or tea, or with ice cream.
Speculaas is mainly made and eaten in Belgium, France and the Netherlands, as well as in the German Westphalia and Rhineland, Luxembourg. It is also highly popular in the former Yugoslav countries, as it is manufactured by the Croatian food company Koestlin. It can also be found in Indonesia where it is known as spekulaas or spekulaaskoekjes, and usually served at Christmas or on other special occasions.