Pain, Lots of Honey & Mysterious Anis Vert
How I wound up in France down a delicious spice bread rabbit hole.
I thought I knew gingerbread.
I've been making it since I was nine years old. My version is rich with molasses, butter and spices
And then I learned something about the French version, pain d’épices <pronounced ‘peh,’ with the ending disappearing up your nose)>, that stopped this beekeeper in my tracks.
It was originally made with an astonishing amount of honey.
Not a little honey for flavor. Not a spoonful to make the ingredient list sound charming. Honey as the foundation of this bread. Traditional versions contain no eggs, no butter and no added oil. The honey supplies sweetness, moisture, flavor and much of the bread's keeping quality.
Well.
Clearly, further investigation was required.
Naturally, I Went to France
Spice bread has roots in medieval European baking, when honey, flour and aromatic spices were combined to create a loaf that kept remarkably well.
Dijon has, Mulot & Petitjean, one of the few remaining factories that has been making spice bread since the 1796. There is something wonderful about visiting a place where food history is still alive and well!
I went looking for honey bread.
I came away with a new obsession.
Anis vert.
The Mystery Spice
Anis vert translates to green anise. I met this anis in London when I fell head over heels for a tea who feauted it with mint. I was able to buy the tea in the States - so I didn't consider it much further.
But now, I know that anis vert is THE flavor of Dijon pain d’épices. It has a delicate, sweet, floral aroma and an almost licorice-like flavor. Of course, I bought loads at Les Halles and my hotel room and suit case smelled divine. But when I looked for it at home, probleme - as my French amies would say!
There is anise. There is fennel. There is star anise.
They share some characteristics, but are not the same. Not the same plant—and they don't taste the same.
Naturally, I had questions.
Lots of questions.
Does it matter which Anis?
Yes it does! The connection between the three plants is anethole, an aromatic compound.
But the botanical origins and flavors are different. There is a little Anis PhD down below if you want to deep dive.
For this pain d’épices, my choice is anis vert.
Bringing the Discovery Home to Texas
I refuse to share something delightful unless others can enjoy it. So, I searched until I found an excellent whole anise seed right here in the United States. My longtime go to for spices, Frontier Co-op Whole Anise Seed (Pimpinella anisum), through Amazon. The botanical name matters. It's the easiest way to be certain you're buying the correct spice rather than fennel or star anise. I turn the seeds to powder with a coffee grinder. The aroma is extraordinary.
I started with Christophe Felder's recipe, and made quite a few adaptations to match what I found in Dijon. The resulting bread tastes like history and the future all in one bite.
French tradition. Texas-grown and milled flour. Texas Sassy Bees honey. And one very small seed with big flavor.
Even better for Texas bakers ? The oven temperature is just 250°F.
A French bread that doesn't require turning my kitchen into a furnace.
Classic Pain d’Épices
French Tradition, Texas Ingredients
Makes two Prince loaves
This small-batch recipe is inspired by and adapted from Christophe Felder, one of France's prominent pastry chefs. Raised in an Alsatian baking family, he later became pastry chef at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris and is widely known as a pastry teacher and cookbook author.
Before you begin - I realize this recipe is RIDICULOUSLY easy. I traveled all the way to Frace to figure out you need only simple ingredients to bake deliciousness!
Ingredients
Ingredient | Metric | U.S. kitchen measure |
Barton Springs Mill Spelt Flour* | 78 g | About ⅔ cup |
Barton Springs Mill All-Purpose Flour | 60 g | About ½ cup |
Baking soda | 3 g | About ⅝ teaspoon |
Ground anis vert | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon |
Ground ginger | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon |
Salt | 0.5 g | About ⅛ teaspoon |
Honey | 190 g | 6.7 oz by weight |
Water | 70 g | ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons |
Orange zest (optional) | One orange | To taste |
For the most consistent results, use a kitchen scale, especially for the flour and honey.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250°F. I know—it's low. Don't adjust it.
In a bowl, whisk together the spelt and all-purpose flours. Add the spices, salt and baking soda.
Add the honey and water, along with zest of an orange if using. Mix until you have a smooth, runny paste.
Divide the mixture between two prepared Prince baking molds, or use a similar small baking pan. Bake for approximately one hour. Insert a toothpick into the center to check for doneness.
Allow the loaves to cool before slicing. Their flavor develops - better the next day. They have the ability to last a good while - but you'll eat them before they ever get close to going bad. If they do dry a bit, a few seconds in the microwave or toaster make them delicious and warm.
*No Spelt flour on hand? You can use All Purpose - the loaf will be slightly less dense and cakier.
Recipe doubles easily.
A Note About the Wooden Baking Molds
I use Panibois Prince molds, made in France from untreated wood. They can go directly into the oven and make a terrific gift.
Panibois is actually a modern French innovation, founded in 1993. I rather love the combination of a centuries-old bread tradition and a contemporary wooden baking basket.
I source mine from TechnoBake, a U.S. supplier based in St. Louis.
You don't need special molds to enjoy this recipe, though. Small aluminum, glass or baking tins work too - oil / butter and flour or use parchment for easy removal.
PETIT FRENCH LESSON
Pain = Bread
Épices = Spices
Anis vert = Green anise
Panier = Basket
Bois = Wood
One Last Thought
I went to France curious about a bread.
I came home thinking about honey, history, botany, baking, and how a single ingredient can open an entirely new world of discovery.
That's one of the things I love most about food. Every recipe has a story, and sometimes following that story takes you somewhere you never expected to go.
In my case, it took me to Dijon.
And then right back to my Texas kitchen.
For more about my travel adventures check out my Substack @flaneusefieldnotes
Bon appétit!
Texas Sassy Bees — Texas honey, French inspiration, and a little curiosity in every jar.
Comments