Description
Moroccan pain d’épices blends warming spices in a luscious bread that celebrates North African culinary traditions. Fragrant notes of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves create a complex profile that invites you to savor each delectable slice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) rye flour
- ⅔ cup (225 g) honey
- ½ cup (115 g) butter, softened
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
- 3 tbsps sugar
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preparation: Warm the oven to 150°C (300°F) and line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper or butter the surface to prevent sticking.
- Dry Ingredients Fusion: Merge rye flour, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, baking soda, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl, ensuring thorough and uniform distribution of spices.
- Liquid Integration: Fold honey into the spiced flour mixture, then gradually blend milk, granulated sugar, and egg using an electric mixer on low speed to maintain a smooth, consistent batter.
- Butter Incorporation: Introduce softened butter and a pinch of salt, continuing to mix until the batter achieves a silky, homogeneous texture without lumps.
- Baking Process: Gently pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula to eliminate air pockets and ensure an even bake.
- Oven Transformation: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center – it should come out clean without raw batter residue.
- Cooling and Serving: Remove from the oven and let the pain d’épices cool completely in the pan before slicing, allowing the flavors to settle and the texture to stabilize.
Notes
- Flour Finesse: Use freshly ground rye flour for the most authentic and robust flavor profile, enhancing the traditional French spice bread’s depth.
- Honey Harmony: Select high-quality, dark honey like buckwheat or chestnut to intensify the bread’s rich, complex taste and provide natural sweetness.
- Spice Calibration: Toast whole spices briefly before grinding to unlock their essential oils, creating a more vibrant and aromatic pain d’épices.
- Temperature Tip: Allow ingredients to reach room temperature before mixing, ensuring smoother batter integration and more consistent baking results.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 246
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 172 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg