Two Dutch Cookies With Almost the Same Recipe

A tasty Dutch cookie is one filled with almond paste. It is a delicious cookie and with a small adjustment it can be transformed into a spiced filled cookie.

In this Instructable I will use the Dutch names for there are no proper translations available. The cookie filled with almond is called 'Gevulde Koek’ (Literally ‘Filled Cookie’ there are many different filled cookies, but there is only one Gevulde Koek. A Gevulde Koek is always a cookie made of butter dough filled with almond past) The one with almond paste spice is called 'Gevulde Speculaaskoek' (which is literally filled spiced cookie). If you know a good English synonym, after you have seen the recipe, please let me know.

I give both the recipes, which are almost the same. I have marked the ingredients which are changing with an *. White caster sugar becomes dark brown caster sugar and Speculaas spices are added to the Gevulde Speculaaskoek. Otherwise the recipe remains the same.
You can make one or the other and if you can't choose, make them both just like me. Both recipes are good for 8 cookies.

Supplies

All ingredients at room temperature.
The preparation is the same for both cookies.

For the Gevulde Koek:
* 165 g real butter, at room temperature
* 150 g white caster sugar *
* 1 tbsp lemon zest
* Pinch of salt
* ½ egg, at room temperature, beaten
* 1 tbsp water
* 150 g self-raising flour
* 150 g all purpose flour

For the filling:
* 200 g almond paste
* ½ egg, beaten
* 1 tbsp water

Further needed:
* flower, for the work surface
* ½ egg, beaten, for brushing the cookies
* almonds, for on top of the cookies

For the Gevulde Speculaaskoek:
* 165 g real butter, at room temperature
* 150 g dark brown caster sugar *
* 1 tbsp lemon zest
* Pinch of salt
* ½ egg, at room temperature
* 1 tbsp water
* 150 g self-raising flour
* 150 g all purpose flour
* 2 tbsp Speculaas spices *

Speculaas spices:
If you can't find a ready-made spice mix, make it like this:
All spices are ground!
* 8 tsp cinnamon
* 2 tsp cloves
* 2 tsp nutmeg
* 1 tsp coriander
* 1 tsp ginger powder
* 1 tsp cardamom

Mix spices and store in a tightly closed container.

For the filling:
* 200 g almond paste
* 1/2 egg, beaten
* 1 tbsp water

Further needed:
* flower, for the work surface
* 1/2 egg, beaten for brushing the cookies
* Almonds for on top of the cookies

Almond paste
There are 3 options for the almond paste:
A. Ready-made almond paste and half beaten egg. Mix everything. Ready to use right away.

B. 160 g unpeeled almonds (or 150 g peeled), 150 g sugar, one tbsp lemon zest and half a beaten egg. Peel, grind almonds and mix everything. Let it rest for at least a day in the refrigerator.

C. 150 g almond flour, 150 g sugar, one tbsp lemon zest and half a beaten egg. Mix everything and let it rest for at least a day in the refrigerator.

In this recipe I use almond paste from the freezer so that I can use it immediately after adding the egg.


What you need more:
Some bowls for the ingredients
A cup for the eggs
A bowl for making dough
Spoon/fork
Mixer with kneading hooks (option)
Scale
Plastic foil
Circle cutter to cut out the cookies (I use a tartlet shape with a Ø of 10 cm). The usual size for a Gevulde Koek is 10 to 12 cm ø.
Some water to stick the cookie rounds together
Rolling pin
Baking paper
A brush
Oven

Step 1: The Dough

Combine all the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon then add the remaining ingredients and knead until all ingredients are well mixed. You will not find a mixer in this recipe because I prefer kneading by hand with this recipe, if you prefer to use a mixer you need to use kneading hooks. Wrap the dough in foil and let rest in the refrigerator for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Step 2: The Almond Paste

Mix the almond paste with 1/2 egg and a tbsp of water. In the picture I make double the amount of almond paste for I make Gevulde Koeken as well as Gevulde Speculaaskoeken.

Step 3: The Almonds for on Top of the Cookies

If you can't find skinless pealed almonds soak pealed almonds in hot water for half an hour and remove the skin. Cut the almonds in half.

Step 4: Making Cookies

Preheat the oven to 220 ° Celsius / 428 ° Fahrenheit.
Dust the work surface with a little flour so that the dough does not stick and also sprinkle some flour on the dough.
Roll out the dough to about 3mm thickness and cut out the rounds.
Provide an even number of rounds.
Place half of the rounds on the parchment-lined baking tray.
Place a pile, with the size of a ping pong ball, of almond paste in the middle of each round with two spoons. Press the paste out a little to the edge but leave about a 1 cm edge where there is no almond paste.
Moisten this edge with some water, put a round on top and press. Put a few almonds on top and brush the cookies with egg.
Place the baking tray in the middle of the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes.

You can make cookies with an almond on top of any leftover dough, bake 15 min.

Bake from the remaining almond paste Weespermoppen (also a Dutch cookie https://www.instructables.com/Weespermop-a-Gluten-free-Cookie/) make piles of paste about 2 cm high. Place an almond on top and bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 220 ° C.


Good to know
The dough for both cookies can be frozen well.
Almond paste is easy to freeze.
Provided the paste does not come out of the freezer, the cookies can be perfectly frozen unbaked. After thawing, all you have to do is bake.
The cookies can also be frozen when they are already baked. Put them in a hot oven, right after you take them out of the freezer, for 5 minutes.