Bara Brith Bread
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus overnight soaking time
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- 400g/14ozs mixed dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, mixed peel)
- 1.5 cups/375ml hot black tea
- 150g/5ozs brown sugar
- Finely grated zest from 1 lemon or orange
- 250g/8.8ozs plain all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarb
- 70g/2.5ozs butter, melted
- 1 egg
Step 1 - First place the dried fruit in a large bowl and pour the hot tea over the fruit submerging it all. Cover and allow to steep for 3 hours or preferably overnight (for maximum moistness steep it overnight).
Step 2 - Preheat oven to 160C/320F fan forced. Spray a 450g/1lb loaf tin with oil on the base and sides and then line with parchment.
Step 3 - Most of the tea should have absorbed into the dried fruit but there should be some still left. Add the brown sugar and lemon zest to the whole bowl with the fruit and stir to mix.
Step 4 - In another jug or bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, mixed spice and bicarb so that the baking powder and bicarb is well distributed. In another bowl whisk the egg and melted butter together. Add the egg butter mixture to the fruit bowl and stir to combine with a spatula. Add the flour mixture in 2-3 lots and stir to combine but do not overmix. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes. If the bread is browning too quickly, cover with foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Serve warm with soft butter.