Classic French Spiced Bread (Pain d'Épices)
This recipe is for a classic French spiced bread, or Pain d'Épices. It's a dense, moist loaf made with rye flour, honey, and a complex spice blend. It lands somewhere between a bread and a cake and isn't overly sweet. It's a staple at French Christmas markets for a reason.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups dark rye flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds whole
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon finely-grated orange zest
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 whole star anise
Instructions
- Heat oven to 305F and grease a 9-inch loaf pan with butter, dust with flour.
- Warm milk, honey, and star anise in saucepan over medium heat until honey dissolves and bubbles form at edges. Remove from heat and let steep.
- Whisk together rye flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, anise seeds, black pepper, salt, baking soda, and orange zest in large bowl.
- Remove star anise from milk mixture and slowly pour warm liquid into dry ingredients. Mix with wooden spoon just until combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan on wire rack 30 minutes, then remove from pan to cool completely.
Notes
For best flavor, wrap cooled loaf in foil and let rest 24 hours before slicing.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & let me know!