This French pain d’épices, is a gingerbread specialty of Reims that appears during Christmas. It wasn't until Charles VII and his mistress Agnes Sorel expressed their liking for it that it became popular with the French people in the Middle Ages.
The best way to describe this French gingerbread is that it tastes like gingerbread houses. The flavor of American gingerbread is very similar to this traditional recipe.
Interestingly, gingerbread cookies were at Medieval fairs in England, France, Holland, and Germany for the commoners. Can it be that this pain d'Epices was considered a luxury to eat with all that sweet honey, which was considered to be very expensive at that time.
I was lucky enough to spend Christmas with my Godmother in 2008. As we went to the farmers' market, baked French pains d'espices were everywhere, selling loaves of this French classic.
At home, we served this spice bread with a slice of foie gras or a slice of cheese to sip with champagne.
This is a very special recipe to me because Reims is where I was born before we immigrated to the United States. It brings me great joy to share this really simple recipe from my Godmother's kitchen for the holidays, now, let's get started with a little bit of French cooking.
Ingredient list Needed
- honey
- Bourbon whiskey
- egg
- rye flour
- brown sugar
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground anise
- ground cloves
- ground nutmeg
- raisins
- blanched almonds, chopped
How to make pain d'épices
No need for any special equipment to make this easy recipe. The only thing is a bowl and a mixer, or it can be mixed with a whisk. The bread pan is to be placed in the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Heat water in a saucepan or microwave. Once hot, pour the water and honey into a large mixing bowl, along with the whisky, and stir well until fully dissolved.
- Soak raisins in a cup of hot water.
- In another bowl, mix the brown sugar with the egg until creamy looking, then add rye flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ground spices. Gradually add the liquid mix and stir until you get a smooth mix.
- Drain the raisins and chop them, then place them into the bowl. Chop the almonds and mix them into the bowl.
- Pour the batter into a 9x2-inch laaf pan into a grease loaf pan that is coated with non-stick paper.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, depending on your oven. Test with a cake tester until it comes out clean. Leave it longer if needed to bake completely.
Ways to Serve
A glass of milk goes well with everything, sweet treats, but with this Pain d’Epices, YUMMY! But I also enjoy a cup of tea. Another way to serve is by slicing it and then toasting it. We will place a little butter on it and then spread pork rillettes or foie gras, which makes individual savory dishes for appetizers.
Tips And Tricks
I usually make the bread ahead. Once done, I place it in a cool place for it to cool to the touch. I will wrap it in plastic wrap and bag it for a Christmas present.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make it ahead of time? Yes, it can be made ahead of time and gets better the next day.
Have Leftovers? I have kept this bread for a couple of weeks, wrap it in the refrigerator,r then sliced it thin and toasted it in the oven for about 10 minutes until toasty and made for a great cracker with a little bit of cream cheese spread.
Merry Christmas to all of you, and thank you for coming to join me here on my blog, where we can share our journey of food from all those special places around the world with family and friends. I hope you love this recipe as much as I enjoy eating it. See ya next time as my quest continues in search of the perfect bite!
More French Recipes to Enjoy!
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Pain D’épices from Reims France
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 bread pan
Ingredients
Wet Mix
- ¾ cup hot water
- ¾ cup honey
- ¼ cup Bourbon whiskey
Dry Mix
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground anise
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ½ cups rye flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Creamy Mix
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
Fruit & Nuts
- ½ cup raisins soak and drain
- ½ cup almond chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Heat water in a saucepan or microwave. Once hot, pour the water and honey in a large mixing bowl, along with the whisky, and stir well until fully dissolved.
- Soak raisins in a cup of hot water, then drain and chop
- In another bowl, mix the brown sugar with the egg until creamy looking, then add rye flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ground spices. Gradually add the liquid mix and stir until you get a smooth mix.
- Drain the raisins and chop them, then place them into the bowl. Chop the almonds and mix them into the bowl.
- Pour the batter into a 9x2-inch laaf pan into a grease loaf pan that is coated with non-stick paper.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, depending on your oven. Test with a cake tester until it comes out clean. Leave it longer if needed to bake completely.
Laura says
Was excited to make this recipe - but while the instructions say, add egg, almonds and raisins. There is no amount listed on the ingredients. Also, the bourbon is added twice?
Lizzy says
I'm so sorry I was translating this recipe from French. Thank your for pointing that out to me. I just made all the adjustments. Merry Christmas!