We go to Wales most years on our frugal holidays and have a few cups of tea and bits of cake out – as you do. A favourite treat is a moist and fruity slice of bara brith, which translates as ‘speckled bread’. It was traditionally made with yeast, but it is so easy to make this yeast free version. Bara brith is really lovely buttered and served with a nice cup of tea.
You need to start the previous night, as the fruit needs soaking.
Bara Brith
2lb loaf tin, lined and greased
500g dried mixed fruit (I used Sainsbury’s Basics, only £1)
1/2 pint strong black tea
250g brown sugar
450g self-raising flour
1 large beaten egg
2-3 tsp mixed spice
Place the fruit in a large mixing bowl and pour the tea on top. Cover and leave overnight. In the morning, preheat the oven on a low heat – about 170 C, gas mark 3. Give the fruit a stir and start to beat in the other ingredients, in no particular order. When everything is combined spoon the mixture into the loaf tin. Place in the oven for about an hour and a half. Check to see if it is cooked through with a skewer and cook for a further 10-15 minutes if necessary.
Allow to cool in the tin.
I love this! So cheap and easy. I will take it to work this week as a snack.
A relaxing weekend
Although I made the bara brith at the weekend, we didn’t eat any until today. That is because we had our second afternoon tea out in a row on Sunday. We are still using up all Mr S’s birthday treats before the vouchers expire. On Sunday we had a fabulous spa day, which included the tea. It was at Bannatyne’s Spa in Bury St Edmunds, which was really lovely. We used the pool, Jacuzzi and steam rooms, went off for our food, then topped it off with a neck, shoulder and back massage each. It was divine!
We have another day out next weekend. We are off to the Shard in London and will have afternoon tea at Brasserie Blanc. Life is so hard!! Ideally, we should have spread all these treats out a bit but c’est la vie. We need to use them or lose them.
I will be about half a stone heavier after all these treats…
I’ve never made this tea bread, Jane, but I make a similar one, a boiled cake (i.e. you bring the ‘wet’ ingredients to the boil in a saucepan and then, away from the heat, once they have cooled, you add the ‘dry’ ingredients. It’s simple and tasty, with sultanas in it, lovely cold and sliced and buttered. But I shall have to have a go at bara brith, it sounds just our cup of tea! (Sorry, couldn’t resist that!)
PS referring to all my long comments on your previous post, for which I must apologise again, I don’t have a large larder, it’s just very well packed!
Margaret P