A Spoonful of Speculoos.

I don't know whether I'm quite ready to admit this yet, but I think something may have replaced Nutella in my heart. There, I said it.

Just a couple of months ago, I would have told you that nothing could beat it and if you'd tried to persuade me otherwise, I just wouldn't have believed you. But I've been proved wrong. The new addition to my life is pâte à tartiner aux Speculoos. And I simply can't get enough of it. Now, unless you're living/have lived/have been recently to France, it is unlikely that you will have been acquainted with this wonderful invention, so I shall explain to you what it is. It's a spread with a similar consistency to Nutella, but the colour of peanut butter with the most delicious sweet and cinnamony taste that makes me want to carry on eating it forever. If you've ever had a coffee that comes with one of those little posh cinnamon-flavoured biscuits on the side, then that's the flavour. You're probably thinking, well actually I don't know why you're making all that fuss, because it doesn't sound like anything special. And I've got to be honest with you, when I first heard about it I didn't dash to my local supermarché to buy some. But once I tried it, I was hooked, and ever since, I've just not been able to stop eating it...

I may even go as far to say I'm slightly addicted and I'm on my way to trying it in every form possible. Like Nutella, it goes very well on toast and I'd reccommend it on crêpes too. I've had Speculoos flavoured ice cream and the other day I even discovered there's such a thing as Speculoos flavoured yoghurts! Today I celebrated finishing my exams with none other than a Speculoos cupcake. But actually, you can't beat a sneaky spoonful of the stuff straight from the jar, which I know you shouldn't, but when it's there you just can't resist!!

I've been dying to bake something that's Speculoos-related for a while now and with it being my friend Abbey's birthday recently, it was the perfect opportunity to bake a Speculoos cake. And as it was her who introduced me to my new addiction, it seemed only right. So here it is...my Speculoos birthday blondie cake.

 

Speculoos Birthday Blondie Cake

Ingredients:
150g White Chocolate
30g Butter
70g Speculoos
3 Eggs
175g Sugar
1tsp Vanilla Essence
200g Self-Raising Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
75g Raisins
6 Speculoos Biscuits, crushed into small pieces
Exra Speculoos for the filling and topping

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Line two cake tins with greaseproof paper.
3. Break chocolate into a pan and add butter and Speculoos.
4. Melt over a gentle heat.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in sugar thoroughly.
6. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla essence, raisins and the biscuits.
7. Stir in flour and baking powder.
8. Pour into prepared cake tin.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes - it should be ready when a skewer inserted still comes out a bit sticky.
10. Allow to cool.
11. Remove from tins and peel off greaseproof paper.
12. Spread one cake with a generous layer of Speculoos and place the other cake on top.
13. Spread another layer of Speculoos on the top.
14. Using raisins decorate your cake as you wish.
15. Share and enjoy!  

 

Go on, try a spoonful of Speculoos! I will be taking several jars home in my suitcase and that won't be enough...that's how good it is.