From the heart of Riften, in the bustling Bee and Barb, comes a recipe fit for adventurers and rogues alike. Warm, hearty and with a hint of spice, this bread is the perfect companion whether you're escaping the Thieves Guild or just craving a taste of Tamriel.
In the episode
From the Bee and Barb in Riften comes a bread fit for adventurers and rogues. We bloomed the yeast until foamy, then loaded the flour with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice for that Khajiit-approved spice. Jeremiah kept asking where the bread was; Kevin kept telling him to be patient. It rises for an hour, after all.
The secret is steam: a skillet of boiling water on the bottom rack for the first 10 minutes gives the loaves a crackly, bakery-style crust.
At the taste test you could literally see the specks of spice in every slice. We both agreed the warm spices come through even more in the bread than in the fondue. Dunked in Gruyère, it was pretty darn good.
Spiced Cinnamon Allspice Bread
Bee and Barb Bread
A warm, hearty loaf from the Bee and Barb in Riften, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. The perfect partner for Elsweyr fondue.
Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 1 1/4 cups warm water, about 100°F
- 3 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the bowl; butter or lard also work
Instructions
Make the dough
Whisk the yeast into the warm water, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit about 10 minutes until foamy.
In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together the bread flour, sugar, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
Fit the mixer with the dough hook. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the yeast mixture and the olive oil.
Increase the speed slightly and knead until the dough is smooth and well combined, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise about 1 hour, until puffy.
Shape the loaves
Punch the dough down, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and cut it in half. Cover with a damp towel and rest 10 minutes.
Roll one half into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick and 10 inches long, then roll it up into a log.
Place it seam-side down and roll it under your hands until it stretches to about 16 inches. Pinch and taper the ends. Repeat with the second half.
Set both loaves on a baking sheet, cover with a second upside-down baking sheet and let rest 30 minutes.
Bake
About 10 minutes before the loaves are ready, preheat the oven to 400°F and bring a little water to a boil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
Mist the loaves with water and cut a decorative score down the length of each.
Put the skillet of boiling water on the bottom oven rack and the loaves on the middle rack. Bake with the steam for 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the skillet and continue baking about 20 minutes more, until deep golden brown.
Notes
The steam from the skillet in the first 10 minutes is what gives the loaves their crackly crust.
Adapted from The Elder Scrolls: The Official Cookbook by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel (Insight Editions, 2019).
