Recipe: Holiday Pain D’épices Crackers

These holiday pain d’épices crackers are a fun riff on the classic French spice bread. They make the most wonderful afternoon snack when you’re foraging around for something slightly sweet but don’t want something rich or creamy. You could dress these up with a swipe of cream cheese and orange marmalade. Serve with a lovely French triple cream cheese.

Ingredients

8 oz. Buttermilk
12 oz. Flour
2 oz. Honey
2 oz. Brown Sugar
2 ½ tbsp Baking Soda
2 tbsp Salt
1 cup Candied Ginger – small dice
½ cup Pumpkin seeds – ground to powder
½ cup Golden Flax Seed – ground
½ tbsp. Cinnamon
1 tbsp. Powdered Ginger
1 teas. Allspice
¼ teas. Cardamom
¼ teas. Nutmeg
1 cup Chopped Pecans

Makes 2 loaves

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in the mixer with paddle until smooth.

2. Grease and dust baking pans with flour. Note: this is a very thick mix. You will have to dampen your hand with water to press it into the pans.

3. Fill the pans 1/3 full and Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes.

4. Pull, cool down completely.

5. You may freeze the loaves at this point if making in huge batches and store until you would like to make crackers. If not, slice loaves a thin ¼ slice per cracker.

6. Lay out flat on sheet pan and re-bake (like you would a biscotti) at 350 until light golden brown, about 6-7 minutes.

7. Cool completely and store in airtight containers – they should be crisp, not soft.