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
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 is perfect. We're going to emerge from COVID, we have a new president and our first woman of color as vice president, and although we're living in the strangest of times, we're living in the most historic of times, too. It's interesting and there's much to be grateful for. Let's bake!
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 v. Xanthan? It's an ongoing war. Pick a card.
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 bit 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.
My experience is that the batter is far too thin to slit 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.
Gluten free baking is better in dark loaf pans.
I prefer Julia Child’s recipe for equal amounts of cinnamon, cloves and mace. I like dark (try buckwheat) honey. It’ll complement the flour, and round out the warm spices. If you don’t have buckwheat honey, use whatever you have.
In New York, daylight is at a minimum. It’s cold. Snow's coming. We're all inside and staying safe from COVID. Fill your home with fragrant spices and welcome 2021 with our new president and VICE PRESIDENT!, good health, warmth and love.
d’épeace, be well, safe, happy 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 or xanthan gum
60 g. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground mace*(see below for spice mix closer to Julia's!)
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.
*(Spice mix, closer to Julia Child's, try: 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, 1/2 tsp. ground mace - closer to Julia 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 and mix 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 with moist crumbs clinging. (But 'just' clinging because you don't want a gloppy pain.)
Remove from oven and cool 10-15 minutes on baking rack before releasing from pans. Cool completely before wrapping. (If you can be patient and wait, give a little time for the spices to settle. The spices will have time to mature.)
Wrapped well, your 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.
Frozen, it'll keep well for several months.
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