Irish Tea Loaf | Barmbrack. The Irish tea loaf is a traditional Irish fruitcake, also known as Barmbrack or tea brack, that I used to buy in the grocery stores; there were one or two. It comes from the Irish words bairin meaning loaf, and breac meaning speckled. So the word barmbrack literally translates as speckled loaf, because of the appearance of the fruit within It was traditionally eaten as a sweet afternoon snack, spread with butter and served with a nice cup of tea.
Items, such as a ring to signify a wedding in the near future, would be wrapped up in paper and baked in the cake for one lucky person to find in their slice!
There's no butter required for the recipe itself, but it's worth buttering every slice of this.
A traditional Barmbrack is a real delight.
You can cook Irish Tea Loaf | Barmbrack using 11 ingredients and 9 steps. Here is how you cook that.
Ingredients of Irish Tea Loaf | Barmbrack
- You need of Earl Grey, 2 Tea Bags.
- Prepare 250 ml of Boiling Water,.
- It's 50 ml of Irish Whiskey,.
- Prepare 375 g of High Quality Dried Fruit Mix,.
- You need of Unsalted Butter, For Greasing.
- You need 225 g of Unbleached All Purpose Flour,.
- You need 2 TSP of Baking Powder,.
- You need 60 g of Light Muscovado Sugar,.
- Prepare 60 g of Molasses Sugar,.
- It's 1/2 TSP of All Spice Powder,.
- It's 1 of Egg,.
Easy to make, mild, and sweet, this quick bread is a real Irish treat for tea time. Finding the ring delights the unmarried as it portends they will be the next to walk down the aisle. Brack is also eaten year-round as part of tea time, when it is served with salty Irish. Not as rich as a Christmas cake, and more like a bread, with a scattering of dried fruit and spice when available, it was generally spread with The Irish term for this, Bairín Breac, means 'speckled bread' indicating that the fruit was scarce in the loaf.
Irish Tea Loaf | Barmbrack step by step
- Brew earl grey with boiling water in a large bowl. Cover and steep the tea bags until tea is slightly cooled. Remove the tea bags. *Do not be tempted to squeeze the tea bags to extract more tea. It will leave a bitter note.*.
- Add in whiskey and stir to combine well. Add in the dried fruits mix. Stir the mixture to combine well making sure all the fruits are fully submerged..
- Cover and let it sit on the counter at room temperature overnight. The next day, preheat oven to 170 degree celsius or 340 fahrenheit. Grease loaf pan with butter..
- Line parchment paper with the sides overhanging. It will be easy to unmold. Set aside. Strain the fruits mixture thru a fine strainer over a bowl. *Do not discard the liquid. It will be used at a later stage.*.
- Strain the fruits mixture thru a fine strainer over a bowl. *Do not discard the liquid. It will be used at a later stage.* Set aside. In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves..
- Set aside. In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar and all spice. Stir to combine well. Create a well in the center. Add in egg. Add in the mixed fruits..
- Add in the fruits liquid 1 TBSP at a time, at the same time mixing. Keep adding and mixing until it is very annoying to mix anymore. You should have a wet and sticky dough, but not runny. Discard any leftover liquid..
- Mix to combine well. Transfer into the prepared loaf pan. Wack into the oven and bake for 1 hr, or until the top turns dark brown and pass the skewer test. Remove from oven and set aside until completely cooled..
- Unmold and transfer onto a large cling film. Wrap the cake and set aside for 24 to 48 hrs before slicing and serving. *It tastes better the next day.* Serve with butter and a cup of tea on the side..
Barm Brack, traditionally eaten at Halloween is a lovely fruity loaf cake. I find it ideal at any time, with tea and sometimes with butter spread on it. A recipe for a rich fruit loaf that's apt for a cuppa on Ireland's patron saint's day - or indeed with a little nightcap of whiskey. Home » Ireland & the Irish » Food & Recipies » Irish Tea Brack. Barm Brack or Tea Brack is a a sort of cross between cake and bread traditionally eaten at Halloween.
