In our cottage we love barmbrack any time of the year, but it's even more special during the Samhain/Halloween season. Note that I did't include the charms that are usually in barmbrack, but if you are thinking of making it for Samhain/Halloween, as is the tradition, you may want to include a few. Just be careful while eating it!
As you can see, I bake mine in cast iron instead of a cake type pan and it always turns out perfect. I love my cast iron and use it more often than not, especially for my Irish breads. I also double the recipe and make 2, one for the freezer. If you decide to do the same you won't be sorry! It freezes well and it's so nice to have on hand should you have visitors come by unexpectedly. A perfect treat with tea!
Here it is while rising...
Ingredients:
2 tea bags, or 3 tsp. loose tea (a strong black blend works best)
3 1/2 cups (12 oz, 350 g) mixed dried fruit (raisins, golden raisins/sultanas, currants, candied peel, dried cherries)
1 cup (8 fl oz, 240 ml) milk
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. dried active yeast (not instant yeast)
3 cups (1 lb, 450 g) strong bread flour (I used white flour but you can also use a mixture of white and wheat)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup (1 oz, 25 g) brown sugar
1/3 cup (3 oz, 75 g) butter or margarine
1 beaten egg
1 tsp. mixed spice (I used 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. cloves and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg)
Oven: Pre-heat to 350F (180C).
Start by making two cups (16 fl oz, 480 ml) of strong black tea.(I actually use 1 cup of strong tea and 1 cup of Bushmill's Irish Whiskey) Remove the tea bags, or strain the tea to remove the leaves. Soak the dried fruit in the tea. Ideally, the fruit should soak for several hours or even overnight, but if this is not possible, don't worry - just leave it soaking for as long as you can.
Warm the milk until it is warm..not hot. (you can do this in the microwave). Stir in the teaspoon of sugar and the yeast, and leave in a warm place for about 15 minutes or until it becomes frothy.
Mix the flour, salt and brown sugar in a large bowl. Rub in the butter or margarine. Add the frothy yeast, the beaten egg and the spice. Drain any remaining liquid from the fruit, then add the fruit to the mixture. Mix well to make a smooth dough (add extra flour if the mixture is too wet, I had to add almost another 1/2 cup of flour).
Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead it thoroughly. Place it in an oiled tin or low cast iron pot, cover with a cloth, and leave in a warm place to rise for 45 - 60 minutes; the dough should have doubled in size.
Place the tin in the oven and bake for about 50 minutes. The loaf will be ready when it sounds hollow when you tap on the top or a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Wait about 10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool the loaf on a wire rack before serving.
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