Pain d’Épice is one of France’s oldest baked treats — a dense, moist loaf sweetened with honey and warmed with spices. While it often appears around the holidays, this fragrant loaf deserves a place on the table all year round.
Ingredients
- 250 g honey
- 250 g rye or wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 100 ml milk
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground anise or star anise
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Gently warm the honey until runny, then let it cool slightly.
- Mix the flour, baking soda and spices in a bowl.
- Whisk in the honey, eggs, milk and orange zest until smooth.
- Pour into a greased loaf tin.
- Bake at 160°C (325°F) for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
Pain d’épice improves with a day’s rest, wrapped in foil — the flavours deepen and the texture becomes even moister.
