Speculaasstaaf

• 1 12 cups almond paste
• 1 egg
• 1 34 cups self-rising flour
• 12 cup dark brown sugar
• 7 tablespoons butter
• 2 -3 tablespoons milk
• 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 12 teaspoon baking soda
• the finely grated zest of half an orange
• 1 egg white, beaten
• sliced almonds or slivered almonds
• crystallized brown sugar

1. In a small bowl, thoroughly combine almond paste with 1 egg.
2. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, butter, milk, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and orange zest.
4. Mix together with your hands or a stand mixer - you should be able to shape the dough into a ball without it sticking to your hands.
5. Add a few drops more milk, if needed.
6. Cover the dough ball with plastic wrap and set aside for an hour.
7. This allows the spices to work their magic.
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
9. Grease a baking sheet.
10. Flour your work surface and roll out (or press) the dough into an even, flat layer, measuring roughly 12" x 5 1/2".
11. Roll the almond paste into a sausage shape that is about 1" shorter than the pastry (lengthways).
12. Place on the pastry.
13. Fold in the short ends of the pastry first, and then fold over the sides and press firmly at the seams.
14. Now carefully flip the pastry over so that the seam is at the bottom.
15. Brush with the beaten egg and decorate with the almonds and sugar.
16. Bake for 25 minutes.
17. The almonds should have turned a glorious caramel gold and the cookie dough should be a slightly darker shade of brown.
18. Remove from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack.

almond paste, egg, flour, brown sugar, butter, milk, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, orange, egg, almonds, brown sugar

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/speculaasstaaf-404919 (may not work)