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12/11/2010Sinterklaas treats

Sinterklaas treats Sinterklaas is a time for presents and sweeties. Foodie Paola Westbeek shares her recipes for speculaas and kruidnoten.

Children in The Netherlands are full of anticipation when December rolls around again.  On the 5th, they are visited by Sinterklaas -- an event which calls for lots of sweet treats such as pepernoten (small spiced cookies), marzipan, chocolate letters and banketstaaf (almond- filled flaky pastry).  Here are two other popular recipes to enjoy, even if you don't celebrate Sinterklaas with infantile abandon, like I do.
Photo © Paola Westbeek

Kruidnoten
Bake these on a cold day and your house will instantly smell of festive warmth.   I always have a glass jar  full of kruidnoten during this season.  Great for nibbling! 

Ingredients:
250 g self- rising flour
pinch of salt
80 g dark brown sugar
45 g light brown sugar
1 tbsp Speculaas spices (these are usually only available in The Netherlands but you can make your own by mixing 1 tsp cloves, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp mace, 3 tsps cinnamon and a pinch of pepper) tsp nutmeg 
100 g soft butter
3-4 tbsps milk
;Photo © Paola Westbeek
Directions
Preheat oven to 150C and line a cookie sheet with baking paper.
Sift flour, add sugar spices and salt. Stir well.
 
Add butter, in small pieces, and the milk. Knead well until the dough comes together.
 
Make small balls the size of marbles and arrange them on a baking sheet with a little room between them. Flatten them a little and bake for about 20 minutes.
The kruidnoten keep well in an airtight container for about a week.
 

Speculaas
Whip out the cookie cutters, gather the children around the table and have fun making this classic Sinterklaas treat.   Theyʼre excellent with a cup of hot cocoa! 
 
Photo © Noema at Flickr
Ingredients
200 g butter, softened 
250 g brown sugar 
2 tsps Speculaas spices (these are usually only available in the Netherlands, but you can make your own by mixing 1 tsp cloves, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp mace, 3 tsps cinnamon and a pinch of pepper)
tsp nutmeg
2 eggs, 500 g flour
1 tsp baking powder.

Directions
Put the butter in a bowl and cream it with the sugar. Add the eggs and mix well. Add the spices and sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl. Knead everything with your hands and form into a ball. Refrigerate overnight. Remove dough from fridge 1 ½  hours before using it. Preheat oven to 175C. Roll out the dough and cut out shapes. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a rack
 
Sinterklaas fact
SantaThe Dutch Protestant settlers brought the tradition of Sinterklaas with them to New Amsterdam (modern day New York) in the 17th century. The Dutch still celebrated the feast of Saint Nicholas, but at that time it was separate from Christmas. When Clement Clark Moore published his "Twas the Night Before Christmas" in 1822, the Santa Clause we now know was born and in 1931 Coca Cola gave him a face!

 
 
 
Photo © ciao_yvon at FlickrCome and join me for a seasonal shopping spree through the lively city of Amsterdam!  Stock up on wonderful delicacies for your upcoming festive meals and discover great foodie tips and tidbits along the way!  All walks ends with a cup of hot cocoa at Cafe Winkel.  For further information visit: Mijn Zoete Leven
 
December 2008
 
Paola Westbeek 
 
Photo credit: Paola Westbeek; Noema; ciao_yvon
 


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