Irish Barmbrack Bread ~ A traditional treat for Halloween 🎃, Saint Patrick's Day 🍀, Breakfast🌞 & Tea Time 🫖

While it baked, this delicious bread 

filled our home with a wonderful aroma!

🍀Barmbrack is a traditional Irish sweetened fruit filled tea bread. 

The Gaelic name, "bairín breac" translated "speckled loaf" is commonly served in Ireland during the Halloween season. 

Many of the older traditional recipes use yeast, and are lighter 

in color and texture than the brack loaves most cooks bake today.🍀

Ingredients:

3 cups raisins

1 1/4 cups black tea

parchment paper

butter or shortening for greasing

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cardamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

finely grated peel of one lemon

finely grated peel of one orange

1 lightly beaten egg

1/4 cup whiskey (I used a honey whiskey)

Method:

Place the raisins and tea in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until the liquid begins to boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. 

Preheat oven to 260* Generously grease the sides and bottom of a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or shortening. Line the bottom of the pan with piece of parchment paper. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into a large bowl. Stir in the brown sugar and grated peels, making certain to break up any clumps of sugar. Add the cooled raisins and liquid, along with the beaten egg. Stir until all of the ingredients are well blended. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Place on a baking sheet and put both inside of the preheated oven. Bake for 2 hours or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Pour the whiskey over the top of the bread and allow to cool for 15 minutes. 

Loosen the sides of the loaf with a regular table knife. Place a plate over the loaf and invert. Remove the parchment paper and place another plate or cutting board on top of the inverted loaf. Turn over one more time to put the brack top side up. Slice with a serrated knife and served warm with cold butter. Or, you may wish to bake the bread a couple of days before serving, because like many fruit breads, the flavor tends to improve a day or two after baking. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve cold or toasted with butter. Makes 8 servings.

Alternate Method: 

Instead of pouring the whiskey over the baked cake, reduce the tea to a 3/4 cup and increase the whiskey to a 1/2 cup. Simmer together with the raisins. This method maintains the flavor, but allows the alcohol to burn off. (This is the method that I prefer.)

Notes: 

This Irish bread tastes quite nice freshly baked and warm with butter. It is even better after being refrigerated for a day or two. ~ I like it both ways! (I think it is similar in texture to an English plum pudding.)

Barmbrack bread is served all year but, a different version is baked at Halloween. Traditionally, this is when small tokens (wrapped in pieces of parchment paper) are baked into the Barmbrack. The token one receives in their slices said to foretell their fortune for the coming year. Traditionally, a ring signifies finding true love, a coin means riches and a thimble, pea, stick or button that one will never marry, a piece of cloth indicates poverty or that the recipient will become a nun. (If you would like to add treats to your loaf, I recommend rings💍 and coins!🪙)  😀