What is Filled Speculaas (Gevuld Speculaas)

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Filled speculaas is a traditional Dutch pastry that is especially popular during the period around Sinterklaas, celebrated in the Netherlands on December 5th. It is a delightful sweet and spiced baked treat consisting of two layers of speculaas dough with a filling of almond paste. The spiced flavor of speculaas and the sweetness of the almond paste form a perfect combination, and filled speculaas is often served as a treat during the Sinterklaas celebration.

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Filled speculaas is typically baked in rectangular or square shapes and then cut into pieces. It is served as a treat with coffee or tea and is a favorite indulgence during the winter months.

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How do you store these cookies?

You can store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you don’t want to eat all cookies at once, you can freeze the cookies right before they are baked. Then all you need to do is add 3 minutes to your timer and you can bake the cookie cake straight from frozen. 

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Baking time and oven temperature

Remember, each oven is unique, so some adjustments to baking time and oven temperature might be needed based on your specific baking environment. All oven temperatures in my recipes are based on a conventional oven. If you bake with a fan-assisted oven, turn down the temperature slightly as these ovens tend to become hotter than a conventional oven at that temperature setting. Ovens have the tendency to deviate from the temperature you set the oven to. I would highly recommend using an oven thermometer to ensure the inside of your oven is at the right temperature. My oven for example only goes up to 160C even though I turn it up to 230C 

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An oven that is too hot may result in an overbaked or burnt bake, an oven that is too cold may result in underbaked and soggy bakes. Having the thermometer will not only help in getting the right temperature but also helps in determining the right baking time. 

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Other factors that may affect baking time

The size of your baking dish may also highly affect your baking time. A wider pan means that the batter spreads out more, resulting in it baking faster than in a smaller pan where the batter is thicker in height. 

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