Pain Depices Food

PAIN D'EPICES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350º. Butter a 9-inch loaf pan, dust it with flour, then tap out any excess.
• Sift together the flour, rye flour, baking soda, the ground spices and salt in a bowl. Sprinkle in the anise seeds.
• In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, or by hand, mix together the butter, egg, honey and orange zest.
• Add the water, then add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure everything gets mixed in evenly.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top will bake to a somewhat dark color, which is normal.
• Cool 10 minutes, then tip the cake out of the loaf pan. Let cool completely on a rack before slicing.
• Store tightly wrapped at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 3 months.

FRENCH PAIN D'EPICES

Steps:

• BAKING PANS: One large loaf pan (9 x 5), greased or Teflon, or two small (7 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch) pans. Metal or glass. If the latter, reduce oven heat 25 degrees.
• In a small mixing bowl pour water and add sugar, honey, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Stir until it is dissolved. Mix in the rum, anise seed and cinnamon.
• Measure flour into a large mixing bowl and pour in the liquid-stirring slowly but thoroughly to make a smooth batter. Drop in the almonds, citron and orange peel. Stir several times to mix throughout the batter. Preheat oven to 450°F Butter the tins and line with wax paper or parchment paper. Butter again.
• Pour the batter into the tin or tins. With a rubber scraper or spoon form a shallow depression down the center of the loaf, with the batter slightly higher along the sides. This will compensate for the rise of the center during baking.
• Place the bread in a very hot oven for 10 minutes; REDUCE the heat to moderate (350 F)for an additional 50 or 60 minutes. The loaf will test done when a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and dry.
• Remove bread from the oven. Turn the tins on their sides and carefully pull out the loaves by tugging gently on the wax paper. Let the loaves cool (preferably overnight) before slicing thinly. Makes 1 large or 2 small.
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