Description: This famous institution, family owned and operated for six generations and counting, has been baking and making their special sweets and treats in Brussels since 1829. Its main location is in the heart of Brussels between the Grand Place and the Bourse. There are several outlets, but this is the original store where the locals go to, so that is always a good sign. The baked goods are produced from scratch on the premises and use original rich recipes and traditional cooking methods. The items are not mass produced and they may cost a little more, but that always makes a difference in the great taste and the overall high quality of the products.
Just a walk into the store is like a visit to a historic baking museum. The front of the store has a glass counter and shelves with various treats, and the back of the shop is filled with more specialized goodies on display. The walls are decorated with old handcrafted wooden cookie molds, which take on various characters and shapes and now act like sculptural reliefs. There are various metal cookie tins with colorful and unique designs on them. These usually become collectors’ items, like the ones bearing likenesses of the royal family of Belgium. A popular tin is a tall pointed container which is a three-dimensional image of the storefront itself, a bit self-congratulatory but still a clever design, since where else should one get a cookie from than from the Dandoy shop itself?
Some of the specialties cranked out by Dandoy include speculoos, a gingerbread-like cookie made of cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, cloves and butter. The term is derived from a Latin word for mirror, and these cookies have the image of Sint-Nicolas and are an early Christmas treat for the kids. The Pain d’amandes is a thinner and more delicate spinoff of the speculoos, with almond bits. These remind me of those old-fashioned almond windmill cookies, but Dandoy’s are much tastier. There are other delectable goodies that are similar to what we may know as macaroons, butter cookies, shortbread and fruit cake.
Dandoy produces various seasonal specials. During my visit in March, there were many Easter-themed items such as cookies in the shapes of rabbits and chicks, along with a slew of cute Easter baskets filled with treats shaped like eggs and animals. They even have a sort of raisin cake that is baked only on Wednesdays, and it is so good that dedicated locals are sure to queue for some to take home.
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