ingredients:

4 cups flour

1 cup butter

1½ cups brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

Milk

Blanched almonds (optional)

note:

Some biscuits are called ‘speculaas’, but it is actually ‘speculaas spice’ added to a biscuit mix (as above) or to a raisin loaf that does the trick. Speculaas spice can be hard to find, but you can make your own. The mix is roughly:

1 part cloves

2 parts nutmeg

4 parts cinnamon

(Feel free to vary one or the other a little, until you have something that is soft, warm and aromatic that pleases your nose.)

method:

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Mix all the ingredients except the almonds (if using). Add the milk until it makes a stiff paste that can be rolled out on a baking tray.

Cut roughly into rectangles and decorate by carving lines with the tip of a knife. Press the blanched almonds (optional) into the surface of the dough. Bake until light brown.