Made from flour, butter and brown sugar (which gives it a deep brown colour), the spéculoos is a typically-Belgian biscuit. It has been attributed several origins: one claims the name comes from the Latin « species », meaning spices, hence the reason why several bakers add a mix of spices to the basic spéculoos mixture (cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sesame or orange zest) to create a unique and distinctive flavour. But the name spéculoos could also stem from the old Latin word « speculator », meaning «bishop». This would explain why the biscuit is an integral part of regional folklore, being offered to well-behaved children as a reward each year on the festival day of bishop Saint-Nicolas.
Whichever origin they may have, spéculoos are no ordinary biscuits: they usually have a special shape, either that of a person or an animal. The shape is given by using a mould, called a "planche à spéculoos". In the region many ancient "planches", or boards for making spéculoos have been discovered which are so finely sculpted they are true works of art.Today, the spéculoos is ideal taken with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, but can also be enjoyed with desserts, or as a sweet accompaniment to foie gras.
