Gevulde Speculaas, also known as Dutch Filled Speculaas, is a delicacy that really belongs to the holidays. Not only because it is so tasty, but the smell of the speculaas spices is part of this time. You can make these filled speculaas with a filling of homemade almond paste. And then you get a deliciously creamy cake, flavored with speculaas spices, that you can't resist! And easy to make. Try it yourself!
Gevulde Speculaas Dutch Filled Speculaas Cake
Gevulde Speculaas, that's just part of December Holidays like Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) and Christmas. And then prepared with real almond paste. But unfortunately, that is not always easy to come by, so I prefer to make it myself. Because a cheap version of ground apricot kernels or cooked white beans is less tasty. And making almond paste yourself is very easy. And you know exactly what's in it.
You also make the dough for the speculaas yourself. Wonderfully crispy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside. The speculaas spices and light brown caster sugar provide a deep and rich taste, and you make the dough with butter, and you can taste the creaminess.
And are you looking for more Sinterklaas baking? Then take a look at this page full of Sinterklaas recipes, such as mini filled speculaas cookies, Old Dutch pepernoten and kruidnoten cake.
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What do you need for Speculaas cake filled with Almond Paste?
To prepare this filled gingerbread, you need the following ingredients. You can find the correct amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog:
Ingredients Speculaas dough
- Butter - Unsalted and room temperature
- Light brown sugar - Sweeten the filled gingerbread. In addition, it gives a hint of caramel flavor to the cakes and ensures that the gevulde speculaas remains moist (and therefore does not taste dry).
- Speculaas spice mix: a Dutch spice mix similar to North American Pumpkin Spice. Those delicious spices are characteristic of speculaas. And here you can find the recipe for this delicious speculaas spice mix.
- Milk - Provides a creamy flavor to the dough.
- Self-rising flour - This is flour mixed with baking powder. You can also replace this by mixing 4 cups (500 grams of all-purpose flour) and two teaspoons of baking powder.
Ingredients Almond Paste
- Almonds - In the kitchen, we often use sweet almonds, which are mild, milky, and have a hint of bitterness. You can buy them whole, with or without skin or ground.
- Egg - to bind and make the almond paste creamy. And you use egg to cover the filled gingerbread, so it gets a nice brown color when baked.
- Sugar - To sweeten the almond paste.
How to prepare Dutch Gevulde speculaas
You can find a printable recipe with a step-by-step description at the bottom of this blog.
- Put the self-rising flour with the sugar, milk, speculaas spices and butter in a bowl and mix until you have a smooth dough. Divide the dough in half and wrap each part in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Place the almonds and sugar in a blender and pulse until finely ground. Then add the egg and mix through. Wrap the almond paste in plastic and let it set in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
- Take the first dough package and roll a circle 14 inches (32 cm) wide. Place the dough in a spring form lined with baking paper and press the raised edge against the side. Now take the package with almond paste and roll it out to 12 inches (25 cm). Put it in the spring form on the dough and press a little with your flat hand.
- Take the second dough package and roll it into a circle of 12 inches (26 cm). Place it on the almond paste and close the seams with your fingers. Divide the almonds over the top of the spring form and press them in lightly. Brush the top with the beaten egg and bake the filled gingerbread cake for 1 hour in a preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C).
Serve this Dutch Filled Speculaas with warm Nutella hot chocolate for the children and delicious hot chocolate with Baileys for the adults.
Tips, Substitutions, and Variations
- Make the dough and almond paste a day in advance. This way, they get more flavor.
- Use baking paper in your mold to easily remove the filled speculaas cake.
- Is the dough too sticky when it comes out of the fridge? Add a little bit of extra flour and knead.
- Almonds - Do you use whole almonds with skin? Then you remove the membrane before you grind the almonds. You can do this simply by immersing the almonds in boiling water for two minutes and then rubbing them dry between two kitchen towels. The membranes come off easily now.
- Almonds tip 2 - Do you want it even easier? Then use almond flour.
- Brush the speculaas topping with egg to make it shiny. Beat the egg well beforehand, otherwise you will get stains on your cake.
- Let the dough cool well, so it sticks less, and you can roll it out better.
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Gevulde Speculaas Dutch Filled SpeculaasÂ
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Spring form 10 inches / 26 cm diameter
Ingredients
Speculaas dough
- 4 cups self-rising flour
- 1½ cups light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons speculaas mix spices
- 2 sticks butter room temperature
- ¼ cup whole milk
almond paste
- 1 â…“ cups almonds no skin, halved
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg size L
- all-purpose flour dusting
Garnish
- 15 almonds
- 1 tablespoon egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic
Instructions
Speculaas dough
- Preheat the oven to
350 °F or 320 °F - Add the self-rising flour, sugar, milk, speculaas mix spices, and butter to a bowl and mix on medium-high speed with a mixer until you've got a smooth dough.4 cups self-rising flour, 1½ cups light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons speculaas mix spices, 2 sticks butter, ¼ cup whole milk
- Divide it in half and press it flat in a round shape.
- Wrap both circles of dough in plastic foil and place in the refrigerator.
Almond paste
- Put the almonds together with the sugar in the kitchen machine and pulse until it's fine. Add the egg and mix again until incorporated.1 â…“ cups almonds, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg
- Make a circle, wrap the paste in plastic foil, and set it in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Gevulde Speculaas Preparation and Baking
- Place baking paper at the bottom of the spring form.
- Sprinkle some flour on the work surface and roll 1 of the two dough slices into a circle of 14 inches (32 cm) in diameter.all-purpose flour
- Place the dough in the spring form and press the raised edge against the side.
- Take the almond paste and roll it large enough in a round form (12 inches / 26 cm) to stuff the cake.
- Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
- Roll the second piece of dough to a diameter of 12 inches (26 cm).
- Press the seams tightly.
- Place the almonds in a lovely pattern on the top and press them lightly into the dough.15 almonds
- Brush with the egg mixture.1 tablespoon egg
- Put the cake in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes, and afterward, release the spring form carefully.
Notes
- Do you use whole almonds with skin? Then you remove the membrane before you grind the almonds. You can do this simply by immersing the almonds in boiling water for two minutes and then rubbing them dry between two kitchen towels. The membranes come off easily now.
- Want it even easier? Then use almond flour.
- Refrigerator - Make the dough and almond paste a day in advance. This way, they get more flavor.
- Room temperature - The filled gingerbread cake can be stored at room temperature for up to three days when packaged in an airtight container.
- Freezer - Wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap for up to a month. Let thaw at room temperature and heat for 5 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C) for a nice taste.
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