Speculaas Edible Decorations is a modern British recipe (based on a Dutch original) for a classic spiced Christmas biscuit (cookie) that can be hung on your tree as an edible decoration. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Speculaas Edible Decorations.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
This is a variant of the traditional Dutch Feast of St Nicholas (December 6th) biscuit that's intended to be used as an edible decoration for the Christmas tree.
Mix together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, muscovado sugar, milk, butter and candied peel in a bowl. Work together until thoroughly combined then use your hands to bring the mixture together as a dough.
Turn the resultant dough out onto a lightly-floured work surface then roll out to about 5mm thick. Using a pastry cutter (a snowflake pattern or star pattern is good for use as a decoration) cut out biscuit shapes from the dough. Use a skewer or knitting needle to make a hole near the top of one of the points of the star or snowflake for later use to hang the biscuit on your tree.
Decorate the biscuit with flaked almonds (press into the dough on each point) then sit the biscuit on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. When all the dough has been used up, transfer the baking tray to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Either serve, or thread a ribbon through the holes you made and hang the biscuits on your tree as edible decorations.
