Pain D'Épices for 2020

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Pain D’Épices

Gluten (and Dairy) Free Spice Cake

Adapted by My Little Blue Heron from Les cakes de Laurent sans gluten & sans lait by Laurent Dran

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Pain D’Épices is traditionally eaten at New Year’s. This loaf is a warmly spiced honey cake. Sweetness and warmth to usher in the new year sound perfect.   

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Dran’s recipe calls for superfine rice flour. I replaced this with oat and sorghum flours. This combination removes that gluten-free ‘grit’, improving texture and mouth feel. You’ll be astonished that it’s gluten free. This only grit remaining is its spice legs and warmth.

The French home cook doesn’t prepare super-sized cakes. This loaf is smaller than what you’re probably used to baking. The loaf pan you’ll need is 16 x 9 cm (6.3 x 3.5 in inches .. or 6 x 4 should work). Simpler solution: double the recipe and make one large loaf and a small loaf or some cupcakes.

I’ve made this by hand, with a Kitchen Aid and with a Kitchen Aid hand mixer.

You MUST have a kitchen scale that weighs in grams. If you don’t, they’re so easy to get on Amazon. Here’s a link. This one’s $10 American on Amazon.

Guar gum replaces Xanthan Gum for binding. Could be that Xanthan Gum is hard to find in France. I like Guar Gum. (Xanthan Gum’s a mold that's grown on corn.)  

Oven temperature is 356º F. If you don’t have a digital oven, that’s fine. Set it to 350º F. and the bake may take a little longer.

A truc that Dran recommends is to slit the cake down the middle. He says that a small, quick slit will help to develop a “big bump”, like a madeleine. 

The batter is way too thin to do this when you begin the bake, so you can make your “petite incision” once the cake or cakes are firm enough to do so. (My loaves develop big bumps sans the petite incisions.) 

MLBH Trucs: Use organic expeller pressed refined coconut oil (Spectrum brand is lovely). Your cake won't taste like coconut.

I use Julia Child’s recipe for equal amounts of cinnamon, cloves and mace. You might want to reduce the clove amount if it’s too ‘cloven’ (sorry). I like dark honey. If you have buckwheat honey, it’ll complement the flour, and the warm spices. If you don’t, don’t stress.

In New York, daylight is at a minimum. It’s cold. Fill your home with fragrant spices and welcome 2020 with warmth and love. 🌞🌝

d’épeace and always love, love all ways,

jane

🎡

Pain D’Épices

Preparation: 

Using spray release or a neutral oil, coat the baking pans well.

Preheat the oven to 356º F. (see note above.)  

Ingredients: 

25 g. oat flour

25 g. sorghum flour

25 g. potato starch

35 g. buckwheat flour

4 g. baking powder (aluminum free is best)

1 gram Guar gum

60 g. dark brown sugar 

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. ground mace*(see below for a different spice profile!)

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt 

1 egg, size large (about 50 grams) at room temperature

110 g. water, room temperature (approx.. ½ c.)

85 g. honey, buckwheat preferred

55 g. refined coconut oil, brought to liquid state. Do this in the microwave at half power until melted.

*(for a different spice profile try: 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, 1/2 tsp. ground mace - closer to Child's cake.)

Procedure: 

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients and set aside.

In another bowl (or if using an electric stand mixer, in that bowl), measure out ingredients, and whisk together for a minute.

Add dry ingredients to wet until combined.

Pour into prepared pan(s) and let sit for about 15 minutes before putting into the oven. Bake, depending on your pan(s) and your oven for 30-45 minutes. Bake in the center of your oven. (If baking cupcakes, baking time will be reduced.) If making the 'small incision', when loaf/loaves are firm enough to do so, using a very sharp knife or a rasp, make a quick incision along top and continue baking until cakes are firm, and a tester or toothpick comes out dry (okay preferable if moist crumbs are clinging!)

Remove from oven and cool 10-15 minutes on baking rack before releasing from pans. Cool completely before wrapping. (If you give a little time for the spices to settle, your loaf will improve with a little rest.)

Wrapped well, loaf will keep for a couple of days at room temperature. You can refrigerate it and bring it to room temperature before serving. This is delicious ‘as is’, with ice cream, some fruit, or for a real treat, toast and serve with butter and jam. (I love apricot or raspberry.)

Frozen, it'll keep well for several months.