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Pão de mel
Honey spice cakes
Pão de mel: spiced Brazilian honey cakes filled with doce de leite and dipped in chocolate
BrazilianSold wrapped in coloured foil at padarias and by street vendors in São Paulo and all over the South, pão de mel is a small, soft honey-and-spice cake filled with doce de leite and sealed in a crisp shell of chocolate. It is the classic Easter and Christmas gift in many families, and a popular homemade treat to sell for extra income. Cinnamon, clove and nutmeg give it a gingerbread warmth. Chef's tip: let the cakes cool completely before dipping, or the chocolate slides off and turns streaky.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the cakes
- 5 ½ oz honey
- 3 ½ oz soft brown sugar
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 9 oz plain flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
To fill and coat
- 10 ½ oz doce de leite (thick)
- 14 oz dark chocolatechopped
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Warm the 5 ½ oz honey, 3 ½ oz soft brown sugar and ¾ cup milk in a pan over a low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cool until lukewarm, then whisk in the 1 egg.
8 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 12-hole muffin tin. Sift the 9 oz plain flour, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1 tsp baking powder into a bowl, pour in the honey mixture and whisk to a smooth, runny batter.
5 minStep 3: Fill the tin two-thirds full and bake for 15–18 minutes until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then on a rack until completely cold.
45 minStep 4: Split each cake in half crossways, spread with 10 ½ oz doce de leite (thick) and sandwich back together.
10 minStep 5: Melt the 14 oz dark chocolate gently over a pan of barely simmering water. Dipping warm cakes is the usual mistake; with cold cakes, dip each one fully using a fork, let the excess drip off and set on baking paper. Leave until the chocolate is firm, about 1 hour.
60 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pão de mel take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of honey?
- Maple syrup or golden syrup, same amount.
- What can I use instead of soft brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
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