Monday, July 31, 2017

No Mixer Needed!

Speculoos White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies


Yummy oatmeal cookies made with Speculoos spread and stuffed with sweet white chocolate. No mixer, no dough chilling, so easy!

Ingredients:


  • 3/4 cup (95g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup (130g) Speculoos spread (creamy or crunchy)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (160g) quick oats
  • 1 and 1/2 cups (270g) white chocolate chips or chunks


Directions:


  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). 
  2. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
  3. Toss the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, then the Speculoos until combined. Finally, whisk in the vanilla. 
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft and slick. 
  6. Fold in the oats and 1 and 1/4 cups white chocolate, reserving the remaining 1/4 cup for later. The cookie dough will be thick and heavy.
  7. Roll the dough into balls, about 2-3 Tablespoons of dough each. Highly suggest using a cookie scoop to make it easier. 
  8. Place 8 balls of dough onto each cookie sheet.
  9. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and underbaked. They will continue to bake on the cookie sheet. 
  10. Remove from the oven and lightly press down on each cookie to slightly flatten, since the cookies will not spread all the way in the oven. Press a piece or two of the remaining white chocolate chips/chunks into each cookie. 
  11. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.


Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well - up to three months. Cookie dough balls freeze well too - up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute. No need to thaw them.

Recipe Notes:


  • Do not use old-fashioned style whole oats in this cookie recipe. You need quick oats, which are more finely ground (and smaller) whole oats. 

Friday, July 28, 2017

Cool, Creamy, and Crunchy

SPECULOOS CRUNCH ICE CREAM CAKE



Prep Time: 6 hours 
Cook Time: 5 mins 
Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes 
Yield: 8-10 servings


INGREDIENTS


  • 1 cup Speculoos Spread
  • 3 cups Rice Krispies cereal
  • ½ gallon vanilla ice cream

INSTRUCTIONS


  1. Place 4 4-inch mini springform pans, as well as a very large mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
  2. In a large saucepan over low heat, combine the Speculoos and Rice Krispies cereal. Mix well until the Rice Krispies are completely coated with the Speculoos. Remove from heat.
  3. Line a sheet pan or tray with parchment or wax paper. 
  4. Pour the Speculoos-Rice Krispies mixture onto the lined cookie sheet and spread evenly. 
  5. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer to chill.
  6. While the coated cereal mixture is cooling, remove the ice cream from the freezer and place in the refrigerator to soften.
  7. After about 30-45 minutes (you want the Speculoos coating to be cooled and firm but not frozen at this point) – break the coated cereal into bite sized pieces. 
  8. Place back into the freezer, if necessary until the ice cream is softened.
  9. Once your ice cream is softened (it should be just softened enough to stir in the coated cereal but not so melted that it is runny), remove the large mixing bowl and the springform pans from the freezer.
  10. Reserve 1-1/2 cups of the Speculoos-Rice Krispie mixture (this will be used as the topping on the min cakes).
  11. Quickly combine the ice cream and remaining coated cereal in the chilled mixing bowl, then pour the mixture into the chilled springform pan, packing it firmly so that there are no air pockets. 
  12. Top the cake with the reserved Speculoos-Rice Krispie mixture.
  13. Cover with plastic wrap and place the springform pans back into the freezer for at least 4-6 hours or overnight until completely frozen.
  14. Remove the cake from the freezer about 5 to 10 minutes before serving and place in the refrigerator to soften a bit.
  15. When ready to serve, place the cakes on individual dessert plates and remove the sides of the springform pans. Serve immediately.

We've Got The Blues!

Speculoos Blueberry Tart



The perfect summer treat for a lovely picnic!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 people 

Ingredients


  • 14 oz sweet shortcrust pastry
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 cup Speculoos cookies
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg 
  • 1/4 cup cream

For the garnish:


  • 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
  • 1/4 cup blueberry jam


Instructions

Blind bake the shortcrust pastry case:

  1. Preheat the oven at 325°F.
  2. Roll out the sweet shortcrust pastry to 1/4 inches thickness on a floured surface. 
  3. Line a pie tin, prick the base all over with a fork and chill for 20 minutes.
  4. Remove the pie crust from the fridge and line the inside of the pie crust with baking paper and baking beans. 
  5. Bake for 15 minutes until the pastry edges are slightly colored. 
  6. Remove the paper and beans, then bake for 5-6 minutes until the base has also slightly darkened. Set aside.

Prepare the blueberry filling

  1. Mix the egg with the sugar and cream. 
  2. Place the Speculoos cookies in a blender and mix until they have a breadcrumbs texture. Scatter the Speculoos breadcrumbs in the pastry case. 
  3. Place 1 cup blueberries onto the Speculoos and pour the egg mix over the top.
  4. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the egg mix has set. Leave to cool.
  5. Garnish with the fresh blueberries
  6. Garnish the pie with the remaining blueberries and slightly press them into the custard so that they don't roll away.
  7. Heat the blueberry jam and glaze the pie.

One Slice Ain't Enough!

Speculoos Cheesecake with Malt Pretzel Crust



Yield: Makes one 9" cake

Ingredients


  • 1 cup cream cheese
  • 2/3 cup ricotta (full fat from a deli)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg  yolk
  •  1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1/8 cup custard powder
  • 1/2 sour cream
  • 3/4 cup Speculoos cookie butter  

Base Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup salted pretzel, crushed well
  • 1/8 cup malted milk
  • 1/4 cup butter melted 

Directions


  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (Fahrenheit)
  2. Line the base of a 9" spring form tin
  3. Combine in large bowl the base ingredients. Mix well with a wooden spoon. 
  4. Using a metal spoon push into the base of the prepared tin until evenly formed crust is made
  5. Place in the fridge until needed
  6. In food processor, combine the cream cheese and ricotta. Scrape the food processor down. Blend on high until combined
  7. Add eggs, sugar, custard power, sour cream and cookie butter; blend until well combined and smooth mix is formed. You may need to scrape it down
  8. Pour in to the pretzel base prepared earlier. Give it a gentle tap on the counter to get rid of air bubbles
  9. Bake for about 1 hour until light brown on the top and set (about 2 inches of the edge should be set when it is ready)
  10. Leaven in oven, with the door slightly open to cool. Chill over night before removing from pan
  11. To remove from pan, run a hot sharp knife around the outside of tin before releasing the spring form tin

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Get Things Crackin' with this Pie!

Crack Pie with Speculoos


INGREDIENTS


Oat cookie for crust

  • 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup rolled oats


Crust

  • Crumbled oat cookie
  • 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), plus a possible 2 extra tablespoons
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt


Filling

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup Nonfat Dry Milk
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • 1 cup Speculoos Cookie Butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 8 egg yolks
  • Powdered sugar, for garnish


INSTRUCTIONS


For the oat cookie for crust

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°. 
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  3. In another large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy. 
  4. On low speed, add the egg until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed.
  5. With the mixer running on low, add in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until well combined. Stir in the oats until fully incorporated.
  6. Spread the cookie batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (or use a silicone mat on your baking sheet) and bake until the cookie is golden brown, about 20 minutes. 
  7. Remove from the oven and let cool to the touch. 
  8. Crumble the cooled cookie to use in the crust.


For the crust

  1. Combine the crumbled cookie, 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined. When a little bit of the mixture is clumped between your fingers, it should hold together. If it doesn’t, add another 2 tablespoons of butter.
  2. Divide the crust between two 9-inch or 10-inch pie tins. Starting with the sides, press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins. 
  3. Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling.


For the filling

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. 
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine together the sugar, light brown sugar, dry milk and salt. 
  3. On low speed, add in the Speculoos, butter, cream, and vanilla. Once fully incorporated, add the egg yolks and combine on low speed. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure mixture is evenly combined.
  4. Divide the mixture between the two pie crusts and bake for 15 minutes. 
  5. Reduce the temperature to 325° and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the center is golden brown and a bit jiggly.
  6. Remove from the oven keeping the Crack Pie in their pie pans, completely cool on a baking rack and then transfer to the refrigerator until well-chilled. 
  7. Once they are well-chilled, you can remove from pie pans. C
  8. When ready to serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar. 


*Stores well in the refrigerator for several days.