Pain d’Epices
SHARE THIS RECIPE!
Pain d’epices is a French spiced bread recipe popular during the holiday season in France. It’s light, moist and full of holiday flavor thanks to its unique blend of spices. This recipe incorporates bittersweet chocolate chunks and orange for a truly decadent twist on a popular French classic. Serve it during an open house, or wrap it up for gifting!
Pain d’Epices Spice Mix:
- Pain d’epices spice mix can varry from recipe to recipe. In France, you can buy it already blended, much like Pumpkin Pie Spice, but outside the country you can make it yourself with this blend of spices.
- A full tablespoon of cinnamon, two teaspoons of ground ginger, one teaspoon of ground nutmeg, one teaspoon of anise seed, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves.
- The anise seeds will soften and bake into the bread. You won’t notice the texture, just the delicious, slightly licorice flavor.
- This delicious anise flavor separates American gingerbread from French pain d’epices.
Decorating the Cake:
- This cake is really beautiful when glazed with warm orange marmalade on top after it’s cooled.
- Just set the marmalade in a small saucepan on the cooktop and heat until liquified, then brush it over the cake with a pastry brush.
- The marmalade not only makes for a pretty shine, but it flavors the cake with a lovely hint of orange which is a great combination with the spices and chocolate.
- I like to decorate the cake with a small plastic evergreen sprig. I usually buy a garland at Michaels or on Amazon early in the year and snip off the small branches for packages and food gifts.
- Place two candied oranges on either side of the sprig on top (see recipe card below)
- Finish with a cinnamon stick, or a few star anise are a nice touch too!
Making the Candied Oranges:
- I typically make more oranges than I need so I can pick the prettiest ones. It’s hard to know which ones will look best until they are finished simmering.
- You can use mandarins or tangerines; just make sure they are on the small side to fit on top of the cake.
- Use a non-stick skillet; it will be easier to clean.
- After the oranges simmer in the sugar syrup, allow them to “dry” on a rack fitted with a baking sheet; that way, the sugar won’t drip onto your countertop!
- The oranges won’t really “dry”; they’ll just cease to be wet and will become a bit “tacky” to the touch.
- Once you get the technique down, try them again on my Blood Orange Pound Cake recipe!
Pain d'Epices
Yield:
1 loaf
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
55 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 25 minutes
Pain d'epices is a French spiced bread recipe popular during the holiday season in France. It's light, moist and full of holiday flavor thanks to its unique blend of spices. This recipe incorporates bittersweet chocolate chunks and orange for a truly decadent twist on a popular French classic.
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup (113 g) Unsalted Butter
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) honey
- 1/2 cup (90 g) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) orange marmalade
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/4 cup (315g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.25 ml) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) anise seed
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cloves
- 1 cup (150 g) bittersweet chocolate chunks (Trader Joe's Dark Belgian Chocolate 1lb plus bar a great one to use! https://amzn.to/3VPARLc)
For Decorating:
- 2 small mandarine oranges
- 1/4 cup (60 g) white sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) orange marmalade
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Small plastic evergreen sprig
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Spray a 9.25 x 5.25 x 2.75 in (23.5 x 13.3 x 7 cm) loaf pan with baking spray with flour.
- In a medium sauce pan, add the butter, honey, brown sugar, marmalade, and water. Heat on medium-high until melted and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Then whisk in the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, anise seeds and cloves. Set aside.
- To the melted wet ingredients, add the oil and whisk to combine. Then add the eggs, one at a time, whisking in between each addition.
- Add the dry ingredients in thirds until combined.
- Stir in the chopped chocolate. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
- Meanwhile prepare the candied oranges.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 218Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 101mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 5g
