{"id":4691,"date":"2011-12-08T20:48:03","date_gmt":"2011-12-09T04:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/?p=4691"},"modified":"2013-10-29T14:16:51","modified_gmt":"2013-10-29T21:16:51","slug":"sugar-and-spice-it-is-all-nice-pain-depice-with-ginger-honey-cream-cheese-spread","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/sugar-and-spice-it-is-all-nice-pain-depice-with-ginger-honey-cream-cheese-spread","title":{"rendered":"pain d\u2019\u00e9pice (with ginger and honey cream cheese spread)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

sugar and spice . . . it is all nice:<\/span>
\npain d\u2019\u00e9pice <\/em><\/strong>(with ginger and honey cream cheese spread)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing gets us into the holiday spirit more than our sense of smell. While the decorations and songs are festive, it is the smell of roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, and baked treats that transport us to memories of family meals, gatherings around a fire, and baking holiday cookies. For many people, the smell of gingerbread is synonymous with the holidays. Filling your home with a little holiday sugar and spice this season was the inspiration for this week\u2019s simple pleasure<\/em>: <\/em>pain d\u2019\u00e9pice (with ginger and honey cream cheese spread).<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Pain d\u2019\u00e9pice<\/span> (<\/em>\u201cspice bread\u201d) is a loaf cake particularly popular in the Alsace region of France. It is sometimes topped with candied fruit and\/or nuts and often served with tea or coffee. Traditional pain d\u2019\u00e9pice <\/em><\/span>is made with wheat and rye flours and honey both of which are used to to create a p\u00e2te-m\u00e8re<\/em>, a paste of honey and flour that is fermented over a series of days. The spice combination (for which the bread gets its name) varies with the region in which you find it, but it generally includes a combination of ground cinnamon, cloves, green anise, ginger, and cardamom. M\u00e9lange pain d\u2019\u00e9pice<\/span><\/em> is a pre-measured mixture of pain d\u2019\u00e9pice <\/em><\/span>spices that you can find in all French grocery stores and on the internet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

This is not your grandmother\u2019s pain d\u2019\u00e9pice.\u00a0<\/em><\/span>In fact, it is more of a gingerbread–\u00e9pice<\/span><\/em> cake.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I use a modified muffin method so it is very simple, no p\u00e2te-m\u00e8re<\/span>.<\/em> Instead of only honey this recipe also uses a combination of rich brown sugars and\u00a0 blackstrap molasses which make the spice \u201cbread\u201d moist and give it a lush deep brown color. I use third-boiled molasses (blackstrap molasses) because it is less sweet than first-boiled molasses and has the health benefits of calcium, iron, and potassium (however, some brands are too thick and\/or bitter so be careful about the one you choose). I recommendWholesome Sweeteners Organic Molasses<\/a>).\u00a0 The rye flour is replaced with bread and all-purpose flours (to make it more accessible to more people).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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In addition, since I have turned this spice bread into a spice cake, why not give it a little frosting. Included is a recipe for an easy cream cheese spread made with honey and ginger.\u00a0 The spread is optional as the pain d\u2019\u00e9pice<\/span><\/em> is delicious on its own. However, if you use the spread, be creative and create a pain d\u2019\u00e9pice<\/em><\/span> tartine, or top squares or muffins with the cream cheese spread.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Lastly, you can pan this batter several ways. You can use a brownie pan or various size loaf pans (small loaf pan<\/a>, <\/span>miniature loafs<\/a>, or\u00a0<\/span>loaf pan<\/a>).<\/span>\u00a0You can also bake the batter in a muffin tin. However, if you are using a brownie pan, miniature loaf pans, or a muffin tin, be careful of over-baking<\/em>…pain d\u2019\u00e9pice <\/em><\/span>brownies are delicious but they have a tendency to be dry because the large surface area causes them to bake very quickly. My preference is to use three small loaf pans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you call it pain d\u2019\u00e9pice<\/em><\/span> or gingerbread, it will fill your home with the holiday spirit and create lasting memories (and full tummies).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Je vous souhaite un bon app\u00e9tit <\/em>!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0LM<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0pain d\u2019\u00e9pice<\/em>
\n<\/span>(with ginger and honey cream cheese spread)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

stats:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

makes 1\u00a0 (9 x 12\u201d)\u00a0 pan or
\n<\/span>3 small loaf pans (3 by 5\u201d) or
\n<\/span>1 medium loaf pan or
\n<\/span>11-12 miniature loaves<\/span><\/p>\n

what you need:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

bread
\n<\/span><\/span>2 cups all purpose flour
\n<\/span>1 cup bread flour
\n<\/span>\u00bd teaspoon kosher salt
\n<\/span>1 \u00bd teaspoon baking soda
\n<\/span>2 eggs, room temperature
\n<\/span>1 yolk, room temperature
\n<\/span>\u00bd cup muscovado sugar (or dark brown sugar)
\n<\/span>\u00bd cup light brown sugar
\n<\/span>\u00bd cup unsulphured molasses (second molasses or blackstrap molasses), room temperature
\n<\/span>\u00bd cup quality honey, room temperature
\n<\/span>8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
\n<\/span>2 teaspoons melange pain d\u2019\u00e9pice<\/em>*
\n<\/span>1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
\n<\/span>\u00bc teaspoon fresh ginger zest
\n<\/span>1 teaspoon vanilla extract
\n<\/span>1 teaspoon orange oil\/extract
\n<\/span>2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled<\/span><\/p>\n

*If you do not have melange<\/em> pain d\u2019\u00e9pice<\/em><\/span>, substitute the following:<\/span><\/p>\n

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<\/span>
\n \u00bd teaspoon ground cloves,<\/span>
\n \u00bd teaspoon ground nutmeg\u00a0<\/span>
\n \u215b teaspoon ground ginger<\/span><\/p>\n

spread
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00bd cup cream cheese
\n<\/span>1 tablespoon smeared crystalized ginger**
\n<\/span>1 tablespoon milk
\n<\/span>1-2 tablespoons honey (to taste)<\/span><\/p>\n

how to:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n