Ras el Hanout

This spice blend comes from North Africa and features many of the warming spices associated with baking: cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. As is typical in spice blends, the mixtures vary from maker to maker, with savory ingredients like cumin, thyme, and even ground rosebuds making an appearance in some versions. The version we sell under our private label includes turmeric but not cumin (which can push the mixture far more to the savory end of the spectrum). Always read the label to see exactly what your blend contains, especially if you will be using it in any of the sweets recipes in this book!