Spiced Bread

 

Spiced bread is bread that has been spiced with herbs or spices to give it a unique taste. The bread is prepared in different ways across different countries of the world.

 

History of Spiced Bread

The very first recorded mention of bread and spiced bread is in Egyptian cuisine. Tombs of the Pharaohs show the bread makers milling wheat, cleaning it and baking it in special ovens to form bread. Flavorings like cumin, coriander and dates were added in to make the bread last longer and taste better but this method of flavoring bread was usually done by the upper class of Egypt. Dill, fenugreek, parsley, thyme and black pepper were also used commonly to flavor baked breads of the time. Over time, nearly every country across the world has adopted the use of local herbs and spices into their bread making to spice up the bread and preserve it for a longer period of time.

 

Ingredients Used and Spiced Bread Recipe Overview

The actual process of making this bread is almost the same every where. Fresh or processed yeast is allowed to ferment and it is then added to the flour. Wheat flour, rye, barley or a mix of grains can be used to make the dough. Spices are added to the liquid dough at this stage. The dough is allowed to proove twice and it is then baked. A few recipes suggest addition of herbs just before baking. The dough is rolled out and herbs are added to the shaped dough and it is allowed to bake. The actual spice put into the herbs will vary from country to country and location to location. 

 

Serving and Eating Spiced Bread

Usually, the bread is served as-is but it can also be served as an accompaniment to tea. Most of the time, it is served as a dessert accompanied with fruits. For example, pumpkin spice bread is commonly baked in the US as a dessert or tea bread with cinnamon and nutmeg.

 

Popular Spiced Bread Recipe Variations

There are numerous variations of the dish all over the world and a few examples are as follows-

  • Irish spice butter is prepared with cinnamon and nutmeg and butter
  • Chai- flavored version is prepared with cinnamon and cloves and is a common variety served with tea.
  • Austriaprepares a special version with a spice mix of Brotgewürz or a mix of Crushed Fennel, Coriander and Caraway

Other spices that are included in baked breads include allspice, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, nutmeg, ginger, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, vanilla bean, coffee, dill, parsley, mint, garlic, etc.

 

Nutritional Value

The actual ingredients will determine the calorie value of the meal. On an average, a single serving of pumpkin spiced bread with icing has about 219 calories.