Bara Brith
(from Bridget Edwards, bakeat350.net)
YIELD: 12-16 slices
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
INACTIVE TIME: overnight
BAKE TIME: 1 hour 25 minutes
You’ll find Bara Brith, or “speckled bread,” throughout Wales any time of year and especially for St. David’s Day in March. Loaded with tea and brown sugar-soaked currants and raisins, this spiced bread is also perfect for Christmastime. Serve with a pot of tea and lots of butter.
[NOTE: You’ll soak the fruit overnight.]
3 cups raisins (dark or golden) and currants
1 1/4 cup water
4 Constant Comment® tea bags, or plain black tea bags
1 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
zest of one orange
3 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
Place raisins and currants in a bowl. Heat water to boiling. Remove from heat, add tea bags, and let steep 3-4 minutes. Remove tea bags. Whisk in brown sugar. Pour over fruit, stir, cover, and let sit overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom only. Butter the parchment.
Stir orange zest into the fruit/tea mixture. Whisk flour and spices together. Stir in the beaten egg. (Mix will be dry.) In two additions, stir in the fruit with all of the liquid. Add Greek yogurt, stirring just until incorporated and no dry flour remains.
Pour into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake 55 minutes, then quickly open the oven, place a sheet of foil loosely over the top to prevent overbrowning. Continue baking 30 minutes more.
Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Brush with honey. Let cool completely, or until just warm, before slicing with a serrated knife. Serve with tea and softened butter.
