Gevulde Speculaas

Makes about 165 cookies. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl,then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Mix in the sugar, lemon peel and Speculaas spice. Add the beaten eggs and mix with a fork or knife until the dough is smooth and elastic (knead dough and add water 1 tbsp. [15 ml.] at a time, enough to make dough pliable). Let it rest in a cool place for at least one hour. Divide the dough in three. Working with one-third at a time. Roll out to about 1/8 inch [3 mm.] thick to 24-by-15 inch [60-by-38-cm.]. Roll out the almond paste to about 1/16 inch [1 1/2 mm.] thick to 12-by-15 inch [30-by-38-cm.]. Fold dough in half to mark your center. Open dough and brush beaten egg over half the surface of dough then place almond paste on top of the egg-washed half. Continue to egg-wash the other half of the dough and fold over to cover the almond paste. Using the cookie cutter roller, cut the dough lining up the folded edge to the inside edge of the roller. Brush the top of each cookie with egg yolk wash, place the halved almonds on each cookie and brush with the rest of the egg yolk wash. Place on buttered baking sheets, and bake in a preheated 350\xb0 F.[180\xb0 C.] oven for about 20 minutes, or until light golde n brown. Note: To make spice, combine 3 1/2 tablespoons (50 ml) cinnamon, (tablespoon (15 ml) each of nutmeg and cloves, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) ginger and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) each of cardamom and white pepper.