Pain D’épice

At the height of the power of the Dukes of Burgundy, when spices were imported from the East through Flanders, spice bread was known as ‘gâteau ducal’ (the Duke’s cake). It still forms one of the ‘trois glorieuses’ (three glories) of Dijon, together with mustard and cassis liqueur. Small cakes of spice bread are called ‘nonettes’ after the ‘little nuns’ who often used to bake them.