This is my version of the spiced Dutch Almond Fingers called Gevulde Speculaas . ”Gevulde” is Dutch for stuffed and these finger shortcrust cookies certainly are – with Marzipan. When baked , the Marzipan melts into the cookie imparting more almond flavour and more moistness. By no means is this an authentic recipe, as I’ve scaled down the spices a bit so it’s lighter to let more of the almond flavour shine through.
In the Netherlands, Gevulde Speculaas make an appearance around Christmas time, and the traditional spices of Cinnamon,Ginger, Nutmeg and Cloves are indeed very Christmasy. However, this slightly less spicier and lighter version only has cardamon and cinnamon to make it more an everyday kind of cookie, that’s what I think anyway!
Imagine yourself, biting into this buttery and crumbly shortbread, and then you get the almond filling! Then do what I do, and dunk them into a strong espresso. I can almost imagine myself in one of those famous Dutch coffee houses…
More Almond inspired Cookies? Here’s the recipe for my Amaretti Cookies.
What you need to make Dutch Almond Fingers
- Pantry/Fridge Staples – Plain Flour,Self Raising Flour,Butter,Eggs,Caster Sugar and 1 Lemon or Orange for zest
- Spices and Flavourings-Cardamom Powder,Cinnamon, Vanilla, Almond Essence (Optional)
- Stuffing – Store Bought Ready Rolled Marzipan. I used a 250g block of a Generic brand.
- Topping – Bit of flaked Almonds or Whole Almonds
To make Gevulde Speculaas the Traditional Way..
- Substitute the Caster Sugar with Dark Brown Sugar in the recipe below
- Add a pinch of each of the following : Ground Nutmeg, Ground Ginger,Ground Cloves and Ground Coriander
Easy does it..
- Make the shortbread dough by mixing together butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Use a sieve to sift plain flour and self raising flour into the mixing bowl and mix on low until it resembles coarse sand.
- Add egg yolks, zest,cardamom and cinnamon powder, vanilla and almond essence and mix on low until it forms a soft dough. If the dough is too dry add a bit of milk or orange juice until the desired consistency is reached. If the dough is too wet, add a little bit more flour.
- Place dough in between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a rolling pin to form into a rough rectangle. Chill dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough in a piece of baking paper to form a rectangle approximately 35 x 20 cm. Knead and roll the marzipan into 30 by 6 cm.
- Place marzipan in the middle of the cookie dough as per photo. Fold the left side of the dough over the marzipan, then the right side so it overlaps and encases the marzipan completely.
- Flip the whole roll over so that the seam side is down and the smooth side is on top and lay it on a baking tray covered with a piece of baking paper.
- Use a small sharp knife to score the roll/log 2 cm apart, but not all the way through. This will be your guide in cutting the cooked roll into fingers.
- Brush with egg wash using a pastry brush and top with almond flakes or whole almonds. Brush with egg wash again.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until pale golden.
- Remove from oven and cool down for about 5 minutes. It will be very fragile and crumbly when fresh out of the oven.
- Use a serrated knife to cut into fingers using the scored guide, and cool completely before storing.