Bara Brith (welsh Speckled Bread)
Ingredients
- 6 ounce dried fruit
- 8 ounce dark brown sugar
- 1/2 pint strong hot tea
- 10 ounce self-raising flour
- 1 egg
Instructions
Soak the dried fruit and sugar overnight in the tea. You can use either fresh tea, or the cold dregs from the teapot (this gives a good strong colour). Next day, sieve the flour and fold it it into the fruit. Mix in the lightly beaten egg. Line a small loaf-tin with buttered paper then tip in the mixture, smoothing it well into the corners. Bake in a gentle oven at 300 F (150 C) gas mark 2 for 1 1/2 hours. Cool and store for at least 2 days in a tin so that it matures moist and rich. Traditionalists say you should never butter the Bara Brith, but it's lovely that way!