This cakey fruit bread has its roots in the ancient Celtic harvest celebration Samhain. While its name, derived from the Irish báirín breac, or “speckled bread”, plays on an exterior that’s decidedly homely, concealed within the bread are two treasures: a rich, spicy flavor and a cluster of small, parchment-wrapped objects—a dried bean, a piece of cloth, a coin, and a ring—said to be omens for those who find them. The bean portends spinsterhood; cloth signals lean times ahead; the coin, wealth; and the ring promises marriage.
Recipe Servings: 6
Prep Time
20 minutes
+ 9 hours 40 minutes resting
+ 9 hours 40 minutes resting
Cook Time
45 minutes
Total Time
10 hours 45 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a bit extra to dust peel pieces
- 1 Tbsp dry yeast
- 3 Tbsp sugar, divided
- ⅓ cup warm milk, divided
- ½ tsp allspice or mixed cinnamon and nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 3 Tbsp dried citrus peel
- 4 Tbsp raisins
- Nonstick cooking spray, as needed to grease pan
Directions
- Soak the dried fruit overnight in weak tea.
- Warm the milk. Stir the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar into 2 tablespoons milk, and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Sift the flour, allspice, and salt into a bowl. Add the remaining sugar.
- Pour in the remaining milk and the yeast mixture.
- Stir together the beaten egg and butter and then add it to the mixture, stirring to combine.
- Knead the mixture for 5 minutes until the dough is elastic and no longer sticks to the bowl.
- Cover with a wet cloth and let rest in a warm place for 60 minutes.
- Chop the peel into small pieces, and toss them with a bit of flour.
- Add the peel and raisins to the dough and knead vigorously.
- Grease a loaf pan using nonstick cooking spray and then spread the mixture evenly into it.
- Leave to rise for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 425°F, and bake the mixture for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Let the barmbrack cool for 15 minutes after taking it out of the oven before removing it from the tin, and allow to cool thoroughly before cutting.
- Serve with butter.
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