Speculaas and Flan

Speculaas are spicy "biscuits" that you, the layperson, might call Windmill cookies. My group made these in an hour and a half, even though they are supposed to be refrigerated overnight. We ended up with cookies on the soft side, probably because the dough was overworked and gluten formed, or we didn't cook them long enough. I prefer soft cookies, but I know I have to learn the traditional methods before I start experimenting.


On Thursday we made flahn, which is a pastry crust filled with custard. We made one with traditional fruit topping, and another with tropical fruit.


These were taken after my half hour car ride home, but a close up shows how delicious they taste, I mean how beautiful they were. The custard was SO good. I thought I almost curdled it during cooking, but I got it off the stove and into an ice bath just in time. AND the crust turned out perfect. No extra gluten day two.


From now on I'm taking my camera to class with me. I wish I could show you more than just a quarter of the flan. But, there were other students taking pictures, so I won't feel like an idiot when I pull the camera out in the middle of class.