Belgian Spice Crisps
Submitted by laura511
Belgian spice crisps are paper-thin, shatteringly crisp cookies scented with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, lemon, and rum. A European Christmas classic rolled ultra-thin for maximum crunch.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
40 minCOOK
20 minREADY
2 hrsThese are Belgium’s answer to the Dutch speculaas and the Italian pizzelle rolled into one: paper-thin spiced cookies that shatter into buttery shards at the lightest bite. The spice blend is the signature. Ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon balance so none dominates, and a splash of rum in the dough rounds them out with a hint of warmth.
The trick is rolling them thin. Almost translucent, thinner than a wafer, which is why the directions tell you to roll between foil and wax paper pinned together. That paper-shell method keeps the fragile dough from tearing while you lean hard on the rolling pin. If you can’t see light through the dough, roll it thinner.
Score the cookies into shapes before baking but leave them in place. They’ll separate naturally at the score lines after baking, which prevents the shattering and breakage that comes with cutting them after they’re crisp. These keep beautifully in an airtight tin for weeks, and they ship well for holiday cookie exchanges.
Pro Tips
- Chill the dough thoroughly before rolling. Warm dough tears and sticks; cold dough rolls thin.
- Use dark corn syrup as the recipe calls for. Light corn syrup yields paler, less complex flavor.
- Watch the edges. Ultra-thin cookies go from golden to burnt in about 90 seconds.
- Handle with both hands or a wide spatula. These crisps are as fragile as the recipe warns.
Variations
- Add a tablespoon of finely ground almonds to the dough for extra texture and European flavor.
- Swap rum for brandy or Grand Marnier for a different aromatic spirit note.
- Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar after cooling for a fancy finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the corn syrup, lemon rind and juice, rum, and spices and beat well.
Gradually stir in the flour until the dough forms a ball.
If the flour has been packed closely in the measuring cup, you may find that the dough tends not to cohere into a ball.
The addition of a teaspoon of two of water will correct the proportions.
Divide the dough in two and pat each piece into a rectangular shape.
Wrap and chill for 1 or 2 hours in the refrigerator or place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Measure out a large piece of aluminum foil that will fit a cookie sheet.
Turn its shiny side down, place one of the rectangles of dough on it, and rap it a few times with a rolling pin to soften the chilled dough a little.
Cover with a piece of wax paper the same length as the foil and fasten the two sheets together with several straight pins.
Roll the dough between the foil and the wax paper as thin as you can.
The thinner the better and crisper.
Do not attempt to work too fast, but press down heavily on the rolling pin.
The rolled-out dough should almost reach the edges of the wax paper.
Lift the dough with with foil and wax paper onto the cookie sheet, foil side down.
Remove the straight pins and carefully pull off the wax paper.
Cut the dough into any shape you desire--squares, rectangles, diamonds, triangles--but leave in place after cutting.
Make certain you cut through the dough; this will prevent excess breakage later.
Place in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.
The ultrathin dough at the edges of the pan will brown faster than the rest.
Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Store in an airtight container.
These crisps are not only extremely good, but very fragile as well.
Avoid excessive handling.
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