Honey and Rye Spice Bread
A dense, dark bread, sweetened with honey and perfumed with anise and cinnamon, that keeps well and is easy to transport. To nibble on the road.
A dense, dark bread, sweetened with honey and perfumed with anise and cinnamon, that keeps well and is easy to transport. To nibble on the road.
When my court breaks camp to go to Fontainebleau or my men set out on campaign, we take spice bread! This bread knows no mold: all of honey and rye, laden with anise and cinnamon, it holds firm in the saddlebag for weeks. I have broken many a piece on horseback, between stages. Cut it thin, friend, and you will see that a king on the march is sometimes content with very little.
- •Honey — in abundance (sweetener, binder and preservative)
- •Rye flour — as needed (body of the bread)
- •Anise — a good pinch (dominant perfume)
- •Cinnamon and ginger — a little (warm spices)
- •Cloves — a hint (perfume)
Honey and Rye Spice Bread
A dense, dark bread, sweetened with honey and perfumed with anise and cinnamon, that keeps well and is easy to transport. To nibble on the road.
Why this dish? The court of Francis I was itinerant: it moved from castle to castle, and the king campaigned as far as Italy. Spice bread, dense, sweetened with honey and long-lasting, was the ideal provision for travels and campaigns — it did not spoil and sustained a man.
When my court breaks camp to go to Fontainebleau or my men set out on campaign, we take spice bread! This bread knows no mold: all of honey and rye, laden with anise and cinnamon, it holds firm in the saddlebag for weeks. I have broken many a piece on horseback, between stages. Cut it thin, friend, and you will see that a king on the march is sometimes content with very little.
Ingredients (period version)
- Honey — in abundance (sweetener, binder and preservative)
- Rye flour — as needed (body of the bread)
- Anise — a good pinch (dominant perfume)
- Cinnamon and ginger — a little (warm spices)
- Cloves — a hint (perfume)
Ingredients
- Honey — 250 g (sweetener and binder)
- Rye flour — 250 g (body of the bread)
- Ground anise (or seeds) — 1 tsp (dominant perfume)
- Cinnamon — 1 tsp (spice)
- Ground ginger + cloves — 1/2 tsp (spices)
- Baking soda — 1 tsp (slight leavening (modern adaptation))
- Warm milk or water — 10 cl (loosen the dough)
Method
- Warm the honey until liquid. Pour it over the rye flour mixed with spices.
- Add the baking soda dissolved in warm milk, mix into a thick, sticky dough.
- Pour into a lined loaf pan. Let rest 1 hour (ideally overnight for flavor).
- Bake 45-50 minutes at 160°C. Check doneness with a blade.
- Unmold, let cool, wrap: the spice bread is better after 1-2 days and keeps long.
How it was made : Ancient spice bread was often a simple mixture of honey and rye flour, kneaded and rested for a long time, without leavening, which made it very dense and durable. Its exceptional keeping quality made it a food for travel, pilgrimage and war. Leavening (baking soda) is a modern addition to lighten it.
The contemporary twist : Slice it thin and serve with a thin slice of aged cheese, or toast it lightly — a nod to the stages of the itinerant court.
Sources : Le Ménagier de Paris (c. 1393) · Le Viandier de Taillevent
Francis I · Charactorium