Speculaas

Speculaas (in Latin speculum means mirror) are biscuits that are traditionally consumed by the people of Belgium and the Netherlands at the Saint Nicholas Eve. They are also very popular in German region of Westphalia and Rheinland. There they are called Spekulatius.

During preparation of these thin biscuits the maker often use wooden stamps (moulds) that give them lovely bas-relief shapes, based on the story about Saint Nicholas.

The main ingredients in making of speculaas are white flour, brown sugar, butter and several spices. These spices are cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and white pepper. Some people also add sliced almonds. They can be used in the form of paste filling too.