Gingerbread + Chocolate = Too Delicious!

Gingerbread Speculoos and Dark Chocolate Cake

Enjoy this delicious and flavorful cake with your family!

Makes 1- 8×8-inch cake

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup unsulfured molasses
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup Speculoos spread
• 3 ounces dark chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  
2. Grease an 8×8-inch square baking pan.  
3. Line with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper as well. 
4. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl: whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, baking powder, and salt.  
6. In a medium bowl: whisk together melted butter, sugar, eggs, and molasses.  
7. Whisk until smooth and well combined.  
8. Add the hot water and vanilla and carefully stir to incorporate.
9. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients.  
10. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to combine.  
11. When no pockets of flour remain, and the batter is entirely smooth and silky, pour into the prepared pan.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
12. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing to a wire rack to prepare to frost.
13. When cake has cooled, but is still just warm to the touch, gently spread with Speculoos.  
14. Be gentle, as to not tear the cake.  
15. The Speculoos will begin to melt against the warm cake as it is spread.  
16. When entire cake is covered and Speculoos is dripping down the sides of the cake, drizzle generously with the melted dark chocolate.  
17. You can place melted chocolate in a small ziplock bag and cut a tiny piece of the tip off, creating a makeshift pastry bag.
18. Place cake in the fridge to set the Speculoos and dark chocolate for 30 minutes before serving.  

Gingerbread Speculoos Rugelach

Ingredients

• 1 pkg refrigerated pie crusts
• ½ cup Speculoos spread
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ginger (or more to taste)
• ½ cup (or so) chopped pecans
• Egg wash (just one egg beaten with a fork)
• Coarse sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 pans with silicone liners, parchment paper, or use an Heirloom cookie sheet. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and ginger with a little spoon until combined. Add more cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, a pinch of nutmeg -- whatever -- to suit your taste.
3. On a clean, flat work surface, roll out the pie crusts. Spread each surface generously with the Speculoos spread. Sprinkle evenly with the chopped nuts and then copiously pour the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the nuts.
4. Using a sharp paring knife, cut each pie crust like a pizza; you should get about 16 triangle-sized pieces out of each pie crust. Starting with the larger end, roll the pie crusts up crescent-roll style, trying to enclose the nuts if you can.
5. Place the cookies on the baking sheet, about ½" apart. Brush lightly with the egg wash; sprinkle with the coarse sugar if you'd like. Bake for approx. 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve!