Page 174 - Classic Cookies with Modern Twists

Glazed Pain d’Épices Shortbread

He re’s another one from my le of Alsatian treasures. Wh en I was
the pastr y chef at Hi gg ins Restaurant in P or tland, I did a pastr y
stage at L’Auberge d’Ill, a Michelin three-star restaurant in the
French reg ion of Alsace . It was there that I rst encountered pain

d’épices, a spice bread (translated literally) sweetened with honey
and ser ved dur ing the holidays. Th ere are as many ways to blend
the spice mi x for pain d’épices as there are reg ions in France, but
this is the version I always return to. It borrows from a recipe for the

traditional bread, g iven to me by Greg Higg ins. And from that g rew
the reci pe for these cook ies: tender, butter y, and unspeakably
reminisce nt of both Chr istmas and my summer in Alsace.
Tr y mi xing up some extra spice mi x to use throughout the year.

It’s good in a potato g ratin , spr inkled on roasted root vegetables, or
r ubbed into a pork roast. I even sampled pain d’épice ice cr eam in
St rasbourg!

MAKES 3 DOZEN 2-INCH COOKIES

1 cup ligh t rye flour

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon gr ound gin ge r

1 teaspoon gr ound aniseed
1 teaspoon gr ound cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly gr ound nutmeg

¼ teaspoon gr ound cloves
¼ teaspoon freshly gr ound white pepper