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1
Warm the honey to 40°C in a heavy saucepan — no hotter, or the enzymatic potential is destroyed. Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and spice blend in a large bowl. Pour the warmed honey over the dry ingredients and work the mixture into a thick, uniform paste. Fold in the candied orange peel. The paste is ready when no dry flour remains and the mass holds its shape.
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2
This is where the dish lives or dies. Transfer the paste to a sealed container and rest it in a cool cellar or the bottom of a refrigerator for a minimum of one week — ideally one full month. During this rest, enzymatic activity mellows the raw honey notes into complex caramel and floral tones, and moisture distributes evenly through the mass. A paste baked immediately will produce flat, harsh flavour that no technique can correct.
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3
Heat the oven to 160°C. Dust the carved beechwood moulds — or silicone reproductions — generously with potato starch, tapping out the excess. Press the aged dough firmly into every recess of the mould, ensuring no air pockets remain. Turn out cleanly onto a parchment-lined tray. The surface should hold the mould's relief with sharp definition.
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4
Bake at 160°C for 20–45 minutes according to thickness. The low temperature prevents the honey from browning excessively before the interior sets. The bread is ready when the surface is deep amber and the crumb, tested at the thickest point with a skewer, comes out clean. The loaf or moulded piece should feel firm at the edges yet yield slightly at the centre under light pressure.
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5
Prepare the glaze: dissolve 10 g gum arabic in 50 ml warm water, strain, then stir in 100 g sugar until dissolved. Remove the bread from the oven and brush the glaze over the hot surface immediately; a second coat follows within two minutes. The glaze is correctly applied when the surface dries to a mirror-like lacquer as it cools — matte or tacky finish indicates insufficient heat during application or an overly thick syrup.