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Re: tried-and-tested recipe for Bara Brith (Welsh tea bread)

Dkskye51@aol.com
Sat, 29 May 2004 05:17:22 EDT
v104.n026.8
*  Exported from MasterCook   *

BARA BRITH (SPECKLED BREAD)

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time  :0:00
Categories    :  Breads                            Ethnic

Amount    Measure      Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ----------   --------------------------------
6         oz           Dried fruit
8         oz           Dark brown sugar
1/2       pt           Strong hot tea
10        oz           Self-raising flour
1                      Egg

This is Wales' traditional rich fruit bread. South Wales makes it with 
baking powder; Northerners prefer yeast as the raising agent. Either way 
it's delicious.

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 Dorothy 
says do, as it's lovely that way.

Source: Elisabeth Luard in "Country Living" (British), April  1989.

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.01

Title: Bara Brith (Currant Bread) - Welsh
Categories: Breads
Yield: 16 servings

1/4 lb Dried fruit
2 ts Salt
4 oz Candied peel
6 oz Lard
1 pt Warm water
1 oz Fresh yeast
1/2 ts Mixed spice
1/2 lb Demerara sugar
2 lb Plain flour
2 ea Eggs

Soak the fruit and candied peel in the water with the spice. Leave to steep 
in a warm  place and use the warm spicy, strained water to mix the dough.

Sift the flour and salt and rub in the lard; cream the yeast with the sugar 
and a little of the spiced water; mix this into the flour, together with 
the eggs and use enough of the water to give a firm, yet elastic dough.

Knead well, leave to rise and knock back; blend in the drained fruit and 
knead again.

Shape the dough into loaves and set into greased 1 lb tins in a warm place 
to prove. Bake at 450F (Gas Mark 8) for 15 minutes, then reduce the 
temperature to 375F (Gas Mark 5) for 45 minutes.

Originally, in some recipies, the fruit content would have been fresh 
currants or blackberries. Bara Brith is often served as part of the 
traditional Welsh tea. It can also be purchased at many of the small 
bakeries found throughout Wales.

British  Cookery (BTA/BFPC)