Pain d'épices (Gingerbread)

It is so nice to have the time to make something that I love in my kitchen. During the semester I made it a point to try to practice what we were learning in my classes rather than making what I really felt like eating. I love this in the morning spread with salted butter and beside a cup of steaming coffee. It is really delicious.

My boyfriend introduced me to the French version of this gingerbread. I have tried several recipes the past few years, but up to now, this is the best recipe that I have found. Try it and let me know what you think!

Pain d'épices:

Ingredients:
300 grams honey
100 grams unsalted butter
250 grams all-purpose flour
10 grams baking powder
50 grams almond powder
10 grams sodium bicarbonate
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon green aniseed, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
2 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 170 Celsius (340 Farenheit). Grease a loaf pan (25 cm long x 7 cm high).

2. Place the honey and the butter in a medium sized saucepan and heat it up to the boiling point. As soon as the mixture begins to boil take it off the heat.

3. Mix the flour and the baking powder together and sift. Add the almond powder, the sodium bicarbonate, the spices and the salt together. Mix well. Make a hole in the middle of the dry mixture and pour the hot honey mixture in. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.

4. Cook in a 170 Celsius (340 Farenheit) oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes in the oven, cover the cake with a piece of aluminum foil and lower the oven temperature to 150 Celsius (300 Farenheit). Continue to cook the cake for another 40 minutes or until done. Let the cake cool and enjoy.

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