Name: Taai-taai
Yield: For several taai-taai, depending on the size of the mould
Cuisine: Belgian
Ingredients: pinch (⅛ teaspoon) of salt; rice flour, for dusting; 1 egg, whisked, or milk for brushing; 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda); 200 g (7 oz) runny honey; 1 teaspoon ground aniseed; 100 g (3½ oz) light brown sugar; 280 g (10 oz) white rye flour

Preparation info

For
several
taai-taai, depending on the size of the mould

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Dark Rye and Honey Cake

By Regula Ysewijn

Published 2023

About

Taai-taai translates as tough-tough or chewy-chewy, as these honey cakes are incredibly tough, though not as rock-hard as couque de Dinant. A bakery manual from the 1950s has five recipes, all with different ratios of honey, sugar and light and dark syrup. The dough is made in the traditional way, beginning with a mother dough of honey and rye flour, which is left to rest. The next day, or even weeks later, all the other ingredients – more fl