Barmbrack is a dense, spiced bread that’s speckled with dried fruit. Raisins are traditional, but you can also add glacé cherries or candied citrus peel. Tea gives the bread a lovely flavor, but some bakers add a bit of whiskey in place of some of the tea for a little more complexity.
Makes 1 loaf, to serve about 8
- 3/4 cup golden raisins
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 3/4 cup dried currants
- 1 1/2 cups hot, brewed black tea
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
Arrange the raisins, golden raisins, and currants in a bowl and cover them with hot tea. Let them plump in the hot tea for about 4 hours.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Strain the fruit, reserving the tea in one bowl and the plumped raisins and currants in a separate bowl.
Whisk the flour with baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt together in a medium mixing bowl. n stir in the brown sugar, and beat in the egg and reserved tea. Fold in the plumped fruit.
Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until a toothpick pricked into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow the loaf to cool in its pan about 5 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Pezou : Barmbrack (Irish Fruit Bread)