Nonnettes (French Gingerbread Cakes)

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (80 grams) rye flour
1 tablespoon homemade pain d'epices spice blend
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Cointreau or orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh orange zest
1 large egg yolk
Blackcurrant jam (or orange marmalade, blueberry or blackberry jam)

Lemon glaze:
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Heat oven to 375 F.

In a small saucepan, stir together honey, brown sugar, water, butter, and oil.  Heat over medium heat, stirring, just until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat and let sit a couple of minutes while preparing the dry ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flours, pain d'epices spice blend, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir to combine.

Pour the honey mixture into the flour and stir to combine.  Add the Cointreau, vanilla extract, orange zest, and egg yolk, and stir until combined.

Butter the wells of a mini muffin pan or mini cheesecake pan.  Fill each well with batter 1/2 to 1/3 full.  Place a teaspoon of jam on each.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and the dough springs back when gently pressed.

While the nonnettes are baking, prepare the glaze by combining the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the glaze is smooth.

While the nonnettes are still warm and in the pan, spoon the glaze over them, letting it drip down the sides.  Let them cool in the pan; this will allow the glaze to penetrate the cakes.  Once cool, remove the nonnettes from the pan.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Makes 24+.

From The Daring Gourmet blog