This is very special, and totally FF! I hope you all enjoy it as much as we
have done for years now.
***
Pain d'Epice (Honey Cake)
1-1/2 c. water
1 t. anise seed
1 c. honey
1-1/4 c. sugar
3 t. baking soda
4-1/2 c. sifted flour
1/4 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground allspice
6 T. chopped candied orange peel
Put anise seed and water in a pot and bring to a boil, then turn off the
heat and set it aside. Stir in sugar and honey and keep stirring
until dissolved.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together the dry ingredients, then stir in the candied peel. Add the
honey mixture and stir until smooth. Turn into 2 greased loaf pans (8-1/2"
x 4-1/2") and bake until done, about one hour. (Because this gives a
tougher crust than most cakes, I take them out when the cakes has pulled
away from the sides of the pan.
Let cool completely before cutting. It's better the next day, and will
keep surprisingly well if wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in an air-tight
tin away from heat.
I bake about a dozen miniature loaves at Hannukah/Christmas time for
gifts. This is every bit as delicious as the pain d'epice I enjoyed in
France as a kid.
(Note: I could slice this up, dry it a day, and toast it for the kids as
toddlers; it made a fairly good teething toast.)
Sylvia 8-) +
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