Soft pain d’épices
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160 °C and line a 25 cm loaf tin with baking paper.
- In a saucepan, gently heat the milk with the honey and sugar, stirring, until everything has melted, without letting it boil. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the two flours, the baking powder, the bicarbonate of soda, all the spices, the orange zest and the salt.
- Beat the eggs, then add the warm milk and honey mixture. Pour over the dry ingredients and whisk just enough to get a smooth batter, without overmixing.
- Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a knife blade comes out dry. If the top browns too quickly, cover it with a sheet of foil after 30 minutes.
- Leave to cool before turning out, then wrap the pain d’épices in cling film and wait at least 24 hours before slicing it: it will be even softer and more fragrant.
Notes
A slice of soft pain d’épices, fragrant with honey and spices, with a cup of tea or hot chocolate: that is the whole spirit of the festive season. Good homemade pain d’épices, the French honey spice loaf, has nothing in common with the shop-bought kind. Our recipe is a honey pain d’épices that is easy and made without butter, just like our grandmothers’ version: a mixture of honey, flour and spices that gets softer and softer as the days go by.
The real pain d’épices recipe
This pain d’épices recipe takes just 15 minutes to prepare. The secret of its soft texture is the honey: it brings sweetness, but also moisture and a tender crumb. Warm milk helps it dissolve properly, and a little rye flour gives the rustic flavour and dense texture of traditional pain d’épices.
No butter needed: real pain d’épices never contained any. It stays soft thanks to the honey, which holds on to moisture. So it is a pain d’épices without butter by nature, lighter than a classic loaf cake. And if you are short of time, it is also an easy pain d’épices: a mixing bowl, a saucepan and a whisk are all you need.
Grandma’s pain d’épices, a story of patience
In the old days, grandma’s pain d’épices was made several weeks in advance. The honey and flour were mixed into a thick dough, the “mother dough”, which was left to rest somewhere cool for weeks, sometimes months. This allowed it to develop deep aromas before being spiced and baked. Our version is much quicker, but it keeps one of grandma’s habits: leaving the wrapped pain d’épices to rest for at least a day before slicing it. That rest makes all the difference.
From Reims pain d’épices to Alsatian pain d’épices
Pain d’épices has a long history in France. In Reims, the pain d’épices makers had already formed a guild by the end of the 16th century. Dijon made it its speciality in the 19th century, with a pain d’épices made with honey and wheat flour. Alsatian pain d’épices, for its part, is inseparable from the Christmas markets: in Alsace, in Gertwiller, it has been made since the 18th century, and it comes as small decorated biscuits, called lebkuchen as in Germany, shaped like hearts, stars or Saint Nicholas.
Which spice mix should you use?
The pain d’épices spice mix varies from region to region and family to family, but a few spices are essential. You can buy a ready-made mix, but making your own lets you adjust each spice to your taste.
- Ground cinnamon: the base of the mix, mild and warm. Find out all about cinnamon.
- Ground ginger: it adds a peppery note that wakes up the honey. Our guide to ginger tells you everything about its different forms.
- Star anise: its aniseed note is typical of pain d’épices. Half a teaspoon of ground star anise is enough. Learn more about star anise.
- Ground cloves: very powerful, so use them sparingly. Read our article on cloves.
- Nutmeg: a pinch, freshly grated, for roundness. Here is our guide to nutmeg.
Some recipes also add cardamom, aniseed or pepper. Finally, orange zest brings a fresh note that balances the spices. You will find all these spices in our spice guide.
Choosing the honey
Which honey for an intense flavour?
Honey makes up almost a third of the recipe: you taste it in every bite. For a pain d’épices with a pronounced flavour, choose a strong honey. Chestnut honey is ideal for pain d’épices: slightly bitter and very aromatic, it goes perfectly with the spices. Fir honey or heather honey also gives an intense result.
If you prefer a milder taste, use wildflower, acacia or lavender honey. You can also mix half strong honey and half mild honey. Just avoid very fragrant honeys, such as thyme honey, which could mask the spices.
How to store pain d’épices so it stays soft
Wondering how to store pain d’épices? Pain d’épices is one of the few cakes that improve with time. Wrap it tightly in cling film or foil as soon as it has cooled, then keep it at room temperature, airtight. It will keep for a week this way, and it is at its best after 2 or 3 days. Do not put it in the fridge: it would dry out.
Pain d’épices also freezes very well, sliced or whole, for up to 3 months. Let it thaw for a few hours at room temperature, still wrapped.
Pain d’épices for foie gras
At Christmas, pain d’épices is not just an afternoon treat. Pain d’épices for foie gras is a great festive classic: its spices and honey balance the richness of the foie gras, in a much-loved sweet and savoury pairing. For this, cut it into thin slices and toast them lightly in the toaster or oven, so they are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. A slightly less sweet version works very well: in that case, halve the brown sugar.
It is also delicious with a blue cheese, as French toast, or crumbled over a dessert cream. And to go with it in the afternoon, nothing beats our homemade chai latte, with very similar spices.
Our variations
Pain d’épices with candied fruit
Add 80 g of diced candied orange peel and a handful of flaked almonds to the batter. A festive version, ideal as a gift.
Individual mini pains d’épices
Pour the batter into muffin tins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Perfect for children’s snacks and edible gifts.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my pain d’épices dry?
It was probably overbaked, or sliced too soon. Keep an eye on it from 45 minutes, wrap it as soon as it has cooled, and wait until the next day to slice it: it will become softer.
Can I replace the milk?
Yes, with a plant-based drink, black tea or simply water. Tea even gives a deeper flavour.
Can I make it gluten-free?
Yes, by replacing the flours with a mixture of rice flour and buckwheat flour. The pain d’épices will be a little more crumbly, but just as fragrant.
