If you’ve not heard of nonnettes before, you’re in for a treat. They’re delicious egg-free French honey cakes with a lovely smooth texture. These nonnettes are lightly spiced and topped with marmalade to give a delightful bitter contrast to the sweetness of the cake. They’re then drizzled with an orange glaze.
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When I saw Phil’s We Should Cocoa entry in the orange challenge from his blog As Strong As Soup in December, I couldn’t resist making his nonnettes for my mother’s birthday. They were a revelation and are now a regular on our table.
Nonnettes
Nonnettes, it seems, are little known outside of France. I searched on google for more information and alternative recipes, but Phil’s was the only one I could find in English. I gave up after page six.
The name means “little nuns” and they are a speciality of Dijon in Burgundy. I’ve never been there, but apparently the famous gingerbread making house of Mulot et Petitjean is a famous gingerbread house in Dijon and it’s been baking nonnettes since 1796.
They’re little spiced honey cakes made with orange and rye flour and unusually, no eggs. What makes these delicious treats even more interesting is marmalade.
Of course, if you don’t like marmalade you can substitute with your favourite jam. In fact, I have two other nonnette recipes on the blog for this very reason: rhubarb honey cakes and blackcurrant honey cakes.
French Honey Cakes: Nonnettes
For the nonnettes I mostly followed Phil’s recipe. But I did, of course make a few changes. I substituted a little of the honey for my homemade dandelion honey as I didn’t have quite enough honey for the job. However, I’ve subsequently used a hundred percent honey, so I know that works too.
I also added substantially more rye flour and less white chocolate as I was worried about the nonnettes being too sweet. In fact, when I make nonnettes now, I generally don’t add any white chocolate at all.
Although the friands were good, the nonnettes were my favourite. They are truly delicious and I’m not usually a fan of marmalade in cakes. But the bitterness of the marmalade contrasts really nicely with the sweetness of the cake. And the rye gives a satisfying smoothness to the texture. The lumps of white chocolate are an added bonus.
The cakes are actually better eaten the next day, so they’re excellent cakes to make if you want to get ahead. They’ll keep well in a sealed container for four to five days.
Thank you Phil. I shall ever be grateful to you for this recipe.
How To Make Nonnettes
Nonnettes are actually quite easy to make. It’s a simple process of melting half the ingredients together, then adding the other half. Apart from the marmalade and icing that is.
Step 1. Melt Butter
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over a gentle heat. Add the honey and sugar, stir and take off the heat.
Add the milk and water and stir vigorously until the mixture comes together and the sugar is dissolved. Leave to cool a little.
Step 2. Grind Cardamom
Whilst the butter mixture is cooling, grind the cardamom seeds.
Lightly crush the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar to open them, then remove the seeds.
Grind the seeds in the pestle and mortar as finely as you can.
Mix the ground seeds into the butter mixture then finely grate in the orange zest. I use a microplane* for this.
Step 3. Sift Dry Ingredients
The slight difficulty comes when you add dry ingredients to wet. The flour can easily form clumps, which are later hard to get rid of. You can mix the two together in one of two ways.
- Sieve the flours, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Make a large well in the centre, then pour in the wet ingredients and gradually stir from the inside out until all of the flour is incorporated.
- Add half of the flour to the wet ingredients and whisk together until no lumps are left. You can then stir in the remaining flour with less danger of lumps forming. Make sure you sieve it first. And don’t forget to add the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
I tend to use method two as it creates less washing up.
Top Tip
To avoid chewy bits of large bran, I use a large gauge mesh to sieve the rye flour. I get as much of the flour through the sieve as I can, but there’s always a few large bits left behind.
I use these as slug pest control and they don’t go into these orange marmalade nonnettes.
Step 4. Transfer Batter
Lightly butter twelve silicone muffin holes. You can use tin ones, but the mixture is very sticky due to the honey and they may be hard to remove later. I have no problem removing them from my silicone ones.
Divide the batter equally between the holes. It’s about two and a half tablespoons in each one. The batter should fill roughly half of each hole. It’s important to leave plenty of room as the cakes rise quite considerably.
Leave the batter to stand for half an hour in a cool place. The fridge is fine, but I never have room in my fridge, so I just find a cool place out of the kitchen.
You want the batter to firm up so that the marmalade sits on top without sinking to the bottom of the cakes. As they cook, it should sink, but only to the middle.
Step 5. Bake Cakes
Once the batter has firmed up, top each hole with a teaspoonful of marmalade. Use whatever type you like, whether that’s thick cut, thin cut, dark or light. I use my mother’s homemade marmalade which is usually a thick cut dark one.
Place on the middle shelf of your oven and bake for twenty minutes. The cakes should be well risen, golden and firm to the touch. If they’re not, return to the oven and bake for a further five minutes.
Step 6. Glaze Cakes
Whilst the cakes are baking, prepare the glaze.
Sieve the icing sugar into a small mixing bowl, then juice half an orange. I used a blood orange in the photos you can see here.
Stir a teaspoon of juice into the icing sugar. You’ll most likely need quite a bit more, but it’s better to start cautiously. The icing should be slightly runny, but not liquid. I used just over two teaspoons.
Either brush the glaze over the warm cakes or do as I do and drizzle it over the top with a teaspoon. Some of it will run down the sides and that’s absolutely fine. Keep the cakes in their moulds whilst you do this.
Allow the nonnettes to cool completely before attempting to remove them.
White Chocolate Nonnettes
When I first made these nonnettes, I added white chocolate. They add lovely little caramelised bites. However, I generally don’t any more as they sort of distract from the more subtle cardamom and orange flavours. They also add more sugar to the mix and the cakes are already quite sweet.
If the idea appeals to you, roughly chop some white chocolate, fifty grams is good, seventy five grams is plenty. Then mix it into the batter just after you’ve stirred in the flour.
Other Orange Cakes You Might Like
- Beetroot & orange cupcakes
- Earl Grey fruit cake with orange icing
- Marmalade runeberg cakes
- Mini orange cakes
- Mini orange sponge cakes with blood orange curd
- Orange cassata cake
- Orange, poppy seed & white chocolate cake
- Spicy chocolate & orange Easter bundt cake
For more eggless cakes take a look at this post on the best egg-free cake recipes.
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these white chocolate nonnettes, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or advice for making these cakes?
I’d very much appreciate it if you could rate the recipe. If you post pictures of your creations on social media, please use the hashtag #tinandthyme so I can see them.
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If you’d like more little cake recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Nonnettes. PIN IT.
Nonnettes: French Honey Cakes
Equipment
- microplane (affiliate link) excellent for finely grating orange zest
- silicone muffin tray (affiliate link) easier to extract cakes than from a metal tin
Ingredients
Nonnettes
- 80 g unsalted butter
- 200 ml good quality runny honey (I used 175 ml Cornish honey with 25 ml of my homemade dandelion honey)
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 100 ml milk
- 100 ml water (I used 90ml water and 10ml of homemade orange liqueur)
- 8 cardamom pods
- 1 small orange grated zest
- 175 g plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 125 g wholemeal rye flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 50 g white chocolate chopped (optional)
- 12 tsp seville marmalade
Glaze
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 2 tsp orange juice or orange liqueur
Instructions
Nonnettes
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan.80 g unsalted butter
- Add the honey and sugar.200 ml good quality runny honey, 100 g light brown sugar
- Turn off the heat and add the milk. Stir until smooth then leave to cool a little.100 ml milk, 100 ml water
- Meanwhile, grind the seeds from the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar and add to the mix along with the orange zest.8 cardamom pods, 1 small orange
- Sift the dry ingredients into the pan and gently stir until the mixture just comes together.175 g plain flour (all purpose flour), 125 g wholemeal rye flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- Stir in the chocolate pieces, if using.50 g white chocolate
- Leave in a cool place or the fridge to stand for half an hour.
- Divide the mixture between twelve buttered silicone muffin moulds. You can use tinned ones, but the mixture is very sticky and they might be hard to get out.
- Place a teaspoonful of marmalade on the top of each one.12 tsp seville marmalade
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4) for 20-25 minutes. They're done when they're well risen and the tops are golden and firm to the touch. If unsure use a cake tester. If it comes out more or less clean, they're good to go.
- Leave to cool in their moulds.
Icing
- Mix the icing sugar with the orange juice to form a slightly runny icing. Go carefully when adding the orange juice as you may need slightly more or slightly less.2 tbsp icing sugar, 2 tsp orange juice
- Drizzle over the warm cakes whilst still in their moulds. Leave to cool completely, then turn out.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m linking these marmalade orange nonnettes to Baking Addict’s blog for #CitrusLove.
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JaynesDen says
These look delicious. I must find out what a nonnette is !
Cupcaker says
The nonnettes look delicious, I had never heard of those before which is what made me check them out
Choclette says
Laura – I haven’t ventured far into French baking and have – or it seems eating!!! Haven’t had canelles either. I’ll let you know about the cafe 😉
Junia – thank you.
Oxslip – am yet to use the clafoutis dish. Thanks for the link, I had a read, which I probably shouldn’t have done as I couldn’t resist making myself a cup of hot chocolate – with real chocolate.
Claire – oh please do let me know what you think. We need to get these little beauties better known.
Jude – they must have thought you weren’t quite good enough for them 🙂
Phil – So I’m going to have to try and find myself a beekeeper or two next time I’m in France! We need to get these better known. It would be fun to start a trend.
Baking Addict – now you have a tin, you must make friands. I want a special tin now and one for nonnettes 😉
Leaf – they are delightful AND they are easy 😉
LittleLoaf – oh yes, please do and spread the word a little further 🙂
Dom – Now wouldn’t that be a thing to have made up chocolate?
Johanna – I very much hope so. Haven’t seen teh nonnettes posts rolling in yet though.
C – yes, it’s great to have a really good eggless recipe up one’s sleeve BUT don’t run out of honey!
Sarah – good luck with 2012 and friands 😉
Karen – trust you. Yes please, I would love to try your recipes. Will you do a post on them?
Cakeboule – things can get very tricky sans ouefs, so next time remember, it’s nonettes to the rescue.
Janice – thank you.
Chele – maybe you need some breakfast!
Chele says
Mmmmmmmmm – my stomach is rumbling now and it isn’t even 7am!!
Janice says
Nice looking little cakes.
cakeboule says
What a cute little cake. They look good and I especially like the fact they have no eggs inthem as sometimes I am sans ouefs!
Karen S Booth says
Nonettes and Friands are some of my favourite French bakes, and I DO have a recipe for both that I translated from French to English of you fancy another version? They look TOTALLY wonderful too….
Sarah, Maison Cupcake says
Nonettes is such a cute name! I’ve long meant to investigate friands and hoping 2012 will be the year I manage it.
C says
They look great, and it sounds like a lovely combo of flavours. A good one to remember next time I run out of eggs.
Johanna GGG says
wow this could start a nonette fad in the english speaking blogosphere – would be interesting too – these sound great
Dom at Belleau Kitchen says
it sounds like you’re speaking a made-up language… nonnettes…. friands…… chocolate….
thelittleloaf says
I’d never heard of these before but they look gorgeous. And what better way to spread the word than with this perfect post. Definitely going to have to have a go at these soon 🙂
leaf (the indolent cook) says
I must make nonnettes sometime, I don’t think I’ve ever had them but they sound absolutely delightful!
Baking Addict says
Brilliant entry for #citruslove. Thanks! I saw the nonnettes recipe on Phil’s blog and it was the first time I’d heard of it. They look really good, I must give them a try. I’ve never made friands either but I did buy a friand tin last month. Both of these have really good combination of flavours. Wish I could try some now!
Phil in the Kitchen says
Thanks so much for trying my nonnette recipe. Maybe we’re ahead of the curve in predicting the next big thing in the cake world. They’re not a well known cake but I think they deserve to be a lot better known. Incidentally, the very best nonnettes I’ve eaten in France have been sold in local markets and made by small-scale beekeepers and producers of honey.
A Trifle Rushed says
Sorry, I am having a few problems with blogger and or my iPad!
The spell check has written friends instead of friands! And my last apology came out as gobble-de-gook!
Jude :-)x
A Trifle Rushed says
This comment has been removed by the author.
A Trifle Rushed says
What delightful little cakes, I’ve made friends before, but have never heard of yet alone tried nonettes! And I went to a school run by French nuns, you’d think they would have let us know about these lovely treats! Jude x
Rolling Pin Claire says
I’m sold on the Nonnettes! So simple but they look and sound amazing. They’re on the list for the weekend, will let you know how I got on
oxslip says
Yeah friands! Delicious
I am jealous of your clafoutis dish, it’s beautiful
Have you see this in The Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2012/jan/12/how-to-make-perfect-hot-chocolate
?
Junia says
these little muffins look fabulous! sending some #citruslove to you!
Laura@howtocookgoodfood says
I love reading your blog for recipes like this. I have never heard of Nonettes but they sound wonderful and look great too. Have you ever tried canelles? They are my fave little cake I always buy at the food market on holiday in France. If and when you set up a cafe I will be first in the queue!
Choclette says
Jean – how funny they should be on sale in a gift shop.
Manu – thank you.
Kath – they are so worth making. Are you going to give them a go?
WLM – yes, little cakes to go!
Choclette says
FoodyCat – any cafe would be good! They are on the list for my cafe – when I start it :-S
Working london mummy says
what a lovely idea! I love friands and little cakes . these look so more ish!
Kath says
I am glad you made them, I saw Phil’s and they looked so good and now yours too – delicious.
manu says
Sounds delicious!!
Have a great afternoon.
Jean says
Your nonnettes and friands look lovely. I have made friands a few times but had never heard of nonnettes until I read about them in Phil’s blog. I had never seen them for sale in France either, until this last visit when I found them on sale in a gift shop!
Foodycat says
Spread the friand love! I want every cafe in the country to sell them, like they do in Oz.