45 mins
Spice Bread (Pain d'épices)
Recipe by Graham
Pain d'épice (Spice Bread) is a Christmas favourite in France. It's very similar to a gingerbread loaf, though there are more spices involved. It also has plenty of other uses in cooking, such as in my delicious recipe for Foie Gras Escalopes on Spice Bread or, equally nice, Foie Gras Escalopes with Dates and Pears (Escalopes de foie gras panées aux dattes et au pain d'épice, poires rôties).
Spaghetti Bolognese 
Spiced Bobotie with Apricot Glaze Ingredients for Spice Bread (Pain d'épices)
Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements
How to Cook Spice Bread (Pain d'épices)
- Gently warm the milk in a saucepan, then add the honey and stir well to melt the honey and fuse the two together. Place the butter in another saucepan and gently melt it. Add it to the milk and honey and stir. Add the flour, little by little, stirring briskly all the time to avoid lumps.
- Incorporate the brown sugar, the egg and the salt, mixing constantly. Add the spices, crushed nuts, and coconut. (You can adjust the spices to suit your own taste.) Grate the zest from the orange and add to the mix.
- Pour the mix into an oblong cake (or bread) tin and bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (Mk 5 - 375ºF - 190ºC) for 30 to 35 minutes. Turn out onto a wire tray and allow to cool.
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
You can test if your Spice Bread is cooked by inserting a knitting needle or metal skewer. If the dough sticks to the needle, cook a little longer until the needle comes out clean.
What To Eat Tonight
Italian food has a great reputation for a very good reason - it's great food! Don't miss the chance to cook Italian with us.
Soup from a packet? You're kidding! Good soups are easy to make and are a whole lot more healthy and wholesome than any commercial stuff.
Those wonderful beasts that just scream for something hot and tasty between toasted bread or buns. Once tasted, never forgotten!
Other Baking Recipes
Ideal for entertaining, you can load these savoury biscuits with cream cheese or use them as a snack source with a slice of tomato on top.
Pain d'épice (Spice Bread) is a Christmas favourite in France. It's very similar to a gingerbread loaf, though there are more spices involved.
