Organic Self Raising Light Brown Flour

BARA BRITH

Organic Self Raising Light Brown flour

‘Bara Brith’ or ’speckled bread’ is a moist, slightly spicy tea bread speckled with dried fruit. Its rich flavour comes from soaking the fruit overnight in strong tea plus a little ground cinnamon and grated nutmeg. Serve thickly sliced and spread with butter at tea time – the flavour deepens if wrapped and left for a day before slicing.

Makes one medium loaf

  • 250g Marriage’s Organic Self Raising Light Brown flour
  • 250g mixed dried fruit
  • 100g dark brown muscovado sugar
  • 225ml strong hot tea
  • A good pinch of salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1 large free-range egg, beaten
  • 450g/1lb loaf tin (about 19 x13 x7 cm) greased and lined with a long strip of greaseproof paper to cover the base and two short sides

Put the dried fruit and sugar into a large heatproof mixing bowl. Pour over the hot tea and stir well. Cover the bowl with a clean, dry tea towel and leave to soak for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight). When ready to bake, heat the oven to 160°C, 325°F, Gas Mark 3. Add the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and beaten egg to the soaked fruit and stir well with a wooden spoon. Mix in the flour then pour the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly. Bake in the heated oven for about an hour until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand the tin on a wire cooling rack and leave for about 15 minutes to firm up before turning out. Leave to cool completely before slicing.

Bara Brith