Pain D'Épices

Pain d’Épices

Adapted from Flo Braker’s Baking for All Occasions by David Lebovitz

and then snagged by Blue Heron Kitchen

Pain d’épices is a tradition in France at New Year’s. It’s a quick bread infused with aromatic and warm spices. Not particularly sweet, it’s an adaptable loaf. It can be dressed up or down. You can smear some cream cheese or butter or jam (or both) on it, or as David Lebovitz suggests, slice it for “shortcake”, layering whipped cream and berries. Sliced thicker, it’s toast! Have some for breakfast with butter and jam, cottage or ricotta cheese.

Most traditional pain d’épices recipes include dried fruit and alcohol. I like the absence of stuff in this loaf. Flo Braker’s a lovely woman and great baker. About thirty years ago, I took a class with her when her miniatures book was released. She’s a warm and talented baker who understands and writes well for the home baker. David Lebovitz’s blog and recipes are fantastic. He’s a great writer and if you don’t follow his blog, I suggest you have a look at it.

You’ll need a well-stocked spice cabinet. If you don’t have one, this is a great time to begin one. Try Penzey’s (local store or, online for great quality and ease.) Their jars are inexpensive, come with labels; and you can buy spices in bags for much less than in jars. Share the bags with family and friends. Try Vietnamese and Ceylon cinnamons. They’re both wonderful. Penzey’s is a good company. If you have time, read about them.

If you have old spices (more than a year), dump and replace them (the spices and the cologne.) You’ll be astonished when you sniff the difference.

NUTMEG (The hard s(h)ell): The word derives from Latin, meaning “musky nut.” Trees grow primarily in Indonesia, and the outer shell of the nutmeg is a different spice called mace! Myristicin is the chemical found in nutmeg that in large quantities (large quantities) is a hallucinogenic. (Don’t try it – I think you can die from too much of this stuff.) Myristicin has also been found to have some effect in killing cancer cells. It touts health benefits such as antioxidants and other vitamins. Nutmeg is an aphrodisiac! Inexpensive nutmeg graters are easy to find. Penzey’s sells small bags of whole nutmegs. A small amount leaves a giant aroma/taste footprint. Most home recipes require about ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg in a recipe. Grate a smidge over cooked spinach or chard (thanks, Mom!), into ricotta for Italian pasta and sauce dishes; and it’s a magic addition to most Bolognese sauces.

Nutmeg!

Truc: Wrap and rest. Taste improves hugely if you wrap and rest the loaf. After the loaf has completely cooled, wrap well, in plastic and foil. Leave the spices to mull. The loaf will become denser with a rounder spice profile. It’s worth the wait.

If you bought dark rye for the brownie recipe (now, that’s presumptuous!), here’s another use for your rye. If you don’t have rye flour, try whole wheat. I don’t know if you’ll have the same results. Bob’s Red Mill sells small (24 oz.) bags of dark rye flour.

Don’t omit the anise seed. (Deal breaker)

Honey should be of the milder variety. Buckwheat is too strong for this recipe. Clover, Golden, Lavender, Wildflower – all good choices. Spray or coat the inside of the measuring cup with tasteless oil for easy release.

Truc: Avoid grating to the white pith of the orange. Grate using a light hand and stop early before you turn to the next part of the orange.

I strongly recommend that you double this recipe. It’s great to give as gifts and it freezes well.

Warm spices and heady aroma will fill your kitchen and home, welcoming the new year.

Wishing you a year of good scents.

Happy sweet ’16!

peace and love,

jane

Pain d’Épices

Ingredients:

3 ½ c./455 g. unbleached white flour

½  c./60 g. dark rye flour

2 ½  tsp. baking soda

1 ½  tsp. ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp. ground ginger

¼  tsp. freshly-grated nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cloves

¼  tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

½  tsp. anise seeds (whole)

2 oz./55 g. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 egg, size large, room temperature

1 c. /340 g. honey

1 Tbsp. finely-grated orange zest

1 c. /240 ml. room temperature water

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350º (180ºC). Butter a 9-inch (23cm) loaf pan and dust it with flour. Tap out any excess, leaving only a thin coating of flour.

2. Sift together the flour, rye flour, baking soda, the ground spices and salt in a bowl. Sprinkle in the anise seeds.

3. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, mix together the butter, egg, honey and orange zest. When combined, add water.

4. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping the sides of the bowl making sure all ingredients are mixed together. Remove from mixer and give a few turns with spatula to make sure all is combined.

5. 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 of the loaf will darken. This is okay.

6. Cool on rack for 10 minutes, then tip the cake out of the loaf pan. Let cool completely before slicing.

Yield: One 9-inch (23cm) loaf

Wrapped well in plastic wrap, this should keep for about a week. It will freeze for a couple of months.

Brownies for 2016

Rye Flour Brownies

Adapted from Violet Bakery by Blue Heron Kitchen

As 2016 approaches, here's a wonderful and different brownie recipe. Try something new. Bob’s Red Mill is a great resource for both dark and hard to find light rye flours. (This one calls for dark rye flour.) If you’re a bread baker, rye flour is probably in your pantry. If not, don't be grumpy about buying some rye (flour.) You’ll make good use of your bag, because I just baked a new Pain D’épices (I'd shared one a couple of years ago - Julia's, and this one's different than hers, but also calls for rye flour.) It'll be my next share with you. 

The earthy taste and rougher texture of rye flour provides great contrast and balances the high fat content of this remarkable treat.

A perfect foundation for a scoop of ice cream, a decadent sundae, or a superb base or layer in a composed dessert, this a brownie of strength and substance. 

I like the addition of pecans to the recipe (like Medrich.) Nuts weren't in the original recipe, but I think the addition is very good. As always, nuts (in recipes) are optional.

In our world that has become sad, disturbing, confusing and seemingly without sense, chocolate will always make sense. Eat more of it. Enjoy your life and have some fun. Lick the bowl (eggs schmeggs.) And speaking of rye, break out the Martini and Rossi sweet vermouth and make some Manhattans. 

Raise a glass to the conclusion of a globally forgettable year. 

Here’s to more chocolate and rye,
and
love
and peace,

jane

Rye Flour Brownies

Ingredients:

11 Tbsp./156 gr. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus more for greasing pan

10.5 oz./300 gr.  bittersweet chocolate (60 to 75% cocoa), chopped

1 ½ c./200 gr. whole grain rye flour (Bob’s Red Mill, recommended)

½ c./50 gr. unsweetened cocoa powder (Valrhona or Guittard recommended)

½ tsp./3 gr. baking powder (without aluminum: try Rumford’s)

1 tsp./5 grams fine sea salt

4 eggs, size large, at room temperature

1 c.- scant/190 gr. granulated sugar (remove 10 grams)

1 c./200 gr. light brown sugar

1 Tbsp./15 milliliters pure vanilla extract (Buy Baldwin’s. You can find them online.)

1 c./118 g. pecans, toasted, cooled and chopped, medium/coarse (optional, but recommended)

1 tsp./5 grams flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling on top

Bob's is boss.

Buy Baldwin's in 2016

Procedure:

Heat oven to 350º F and prepare a 9-by-13-inch baking pan by melting the extra butter and using a pastry brush, coating the baking pan with the butter.

Using a double boiler, or in a metal bowl set over a saucepan containing an inch of simmering water (do not let bottom of bowl touch the water), melt the butter and chocolate, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula.

Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.

While chocolate mixture is cooling (stir occasionally), mise-en-place dry ingredients and sugars: in medium-sized bowl, whisk together rye flour, cocoa, baking powder and sea salt. Set aside. Weigh or measure white and light brown sugars and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, granulated and brown sugars and vanilla until lightened, about 2 minutes.

Beat in cooled melted chocolate mixture until smooth.

Add flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. You might want to finish this procedure by hand, scraping down and folding through the batter.

Fold in chopped pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle lightly with flaky salt.

Bake until brownies are mostly firm, but with a very slight wobble in the center, about 15-25 minutes in the center of your oven. (A tester inserted in the center will not come out clean.) Let cool completely before cutting. I like to cut them into small bites (1"-1 ½"). 

Refrigerate in pan, uncut, wrapped well, to maintain fudge and moistness. Freeze to keep longer.

Salted Caramel Apple Dip

Salted Caramel Dip

Adapted from Sarah Britton by Blue Heron Kitchen

Sweet, nutritious alchemy: a simple five-ingredient (six, counting water), easy to put together dip that's not just for apples. Begin with apples. 

Use it as a dip, on pancakes or waffles, or if you make it thicker, you can use it as a frosting, or as a base for a raw tart: Spread it on a raw or baked tart shell and adorn it with poached or raw fruit. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.  It's easy, adaptable, healthful and so yummy.

Child-friendly: Offer them this dip, and your kids will choose apples! Try it with fennel, celery or other veggies. 

Nut allergies? Use “Wow Butter” or tahini.

At home, I make my own nut butters in my Vitamix. If you want to do this, buy roasted and unsalted nuts. Trader Joe’s is an inexpensive and reliable resource in America.  A high speed, powerful blender, like a Vitamix, will transform the nuts into creamy nut butter in a couple of minutes. Some recipes tell you to add oil. I don't. Cashew butter will harden in the fridge, but I still don't add oil. Store in your refrigerator. Ta-da! Cashew butter is probably the best choice for the ‘cleanest’ taste, but any of these nut or seed butters will produce a great dip. 

With a "power" blender, nut butters are a snap to make, but I’ve never produced tahini that tastes good. My favorite tahini is the house brand at Kalustyan’s on Lexington Avenue in New York City. (You can mail order from this great store!)

Medjool dates are a must. Buy more than you need and snack on a few every day. They're heaven. Trader Joe's is, again, a great resource.

Supermarkets and specialty stores are charging you too much for vanilla beans. Try Amazon and buy them in bulk. You can store them airtight and replace vanilla extract. After you've scraped out the inside stuff, stick the pod into some sugar and you'll have aromatic vanilla sugar for your butter cookies! You'll begin to adapt to using beans in other recipes and desserts. These will cost a fraction of what you'll pay for two little beans in a test tube. 

Finally, "A" IS FOR...

ADVANCING WOMEN'S RIGHTS

Please consider supporting this important organization. 

You can send very cool paper or eCards for the holidays!

Click on the link and read about them. 

DONATE!

"A" is for Advancing Women's Rights

peace and love,
jane

Salted Caramel Dip

Prep time: Four (or more) hours, for soaking dates.

Ingredients:

2 cups pitted Medjool dates (Medjool are the ONLY choice for this recipe.)

¼ cup raw nut or seed butter (almond, cashew, sesame tahini, sunflower)

4 tsp. fresh lemon juice

½ tsp. sea salt (or more to taste)

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

soaking water as needed

Procedure:

1. Soak dates for at least 4 hours in water.

2. Drain dates, reserving the soak water.

3. With all ingredients, add dates to a Vitamix or food processor. Blend on high until dates are smooth. Add soaking water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached – thicker for dip, thinner for sauce. 
4. Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a week.