🇮🇪 Irish Cuisine

Barmbrack

Speckled Bread

Prep Time 30 min + soaking

Servings 10

Difficulty Medium

Calories 275 kcal

A warmly spiced Irish fruit bread studded with tea-soaked raisins and sultanas, sliced thick and spread with salted butter.

Ingredients

300g mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants)
250ml hot strong black tea
250g self-raising flour
150g light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp mixed spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice)
Zest of 1 orange
2 tbsp marmalade for glaze
Butter for serving

Instructions

1 Soak dried fruit in hot tea overnight or at least 4 hours until plump.
2 Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease and line a 900g loaf tin.
3 Mix flour, sugar, and mixed spice. Stir in soaked fruit with all the tea liquid, beaten egg, and orange zest.
4 Pour into prepared tin and bake 50-60 min until a skewer comes out clean.
5 Warm marmalade and brush over the hot loaf for a sticky glaze.
6 Cool in tin 10 min, turn out, and serve sliced with butter.

Did You Know?

On Halloween, objects are hidden in barmbrack: a ring means marriage, a coin means wealth, a rag means poverty, and a pea means you will not marry that year.