I love the library. I love the vibe it has. I love that I can check things out on whatever whim I have that day and it’s all for free. All that knowledge is right at my fingertips. I especially love trolling the cookbook section. You never know what wonderful, out-of-print treasure you’re going to find. Recently, I came across a wonderful French Herbs of Provence Cookbook. The recipes are unique, old family recipes and written in a story format (making it hard to cook from). It has inspired us to plant some new things in the backyard, notably a laurel tree, some anise and an elderflower bush. We have been making our way through this cookbook (I ended up buying one at a second hand bookshop, we couldn’t bear to return it). One of the recipes that caught my eye was a thyme cake. The “cake’ was very rustic, and made very similar in style to some European cakes my Italian Nonna and my Great Aunt in Savoy, France made. I decided to add my own touches to it, as well as make it with rosemary instead. What we discovered is that the “cake” was really more of a dense bread, and perfect for breakfast coffee or afternoon tea. Be careful to not let it fall or take it out too early.
Honey Rosemary Sweetbread
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. strong floral honey
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup boiling milk
1 Tbsp. Galliano
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3 whole eggs
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. fresh, finely chopped rosemary leaves (1 tsp. dried)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray a 10″ cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a circle the size of the pan from parchment or wax paper, and place it on the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the honey with the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the Galliano. Heat the milk until just boiling, and add to the honey mixture. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, whip the eggs until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest. Mix in half the milk into the eggs. Add half the flour mixture using the paddle. Add the rest of the milk, then the melted butter. Add the chopped rosemary and mix. Add what’s left of the flour, and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix. The batter will be thick.
Pour batter into the pan, and bake in the center of the oven for about 45 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes, then unmold the cake and peel off the paper to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the glaze. Mix 1 Tbsp. of fresh lemon juice with 1/2 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Add a dash of vanilla. Add more juice or sugar until the glaze is able to be be drizzled with a fork, so not too thick or to runny.
Place the cooled cake on your serving platter, and drizzle the bread liberally with the glaze. Take a damp rosemary sprig and press both sides of it into some sugar. Use it as a garnish and serve in wedges.
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