Irish Barmbrack
Irish Barmbrack for Halloween
Servings 8 - 10
Ingredients
- 250 ml milk
- 75 g butter + extra for greasing
- 7 g or 1 sachet dried yeast
- 75 g golden castor sugar
- 450 g plain (all purpose) flour
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large free range egg , beaten
- 250 g mixed fruit
- 1 brass ring
- A small square of grease proof paper
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C ( I use a fan assisted electric oven please adjust according to the oven you are using)
- Warm the milk over a low heat, add the butter and let it melt in the milk.
- Sift the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre.
- In a glass jug add the yeast and one tablespoon of sugar.
- When the butter has melted into the milk pour half the liquid into the yeast and sugar, stir and leave to bubble, about 20 minutes.
- Now pour the yeast mixture into the well, add the rest of the milk and butter mixture then sprinkle a little flour over the liquid. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave it in a warm place until the liquid starts to bubble up, about 30 minutes.
- Add the beaten egg then bring the flour and liquid together using your hand. You should have a wettish dough.
- Scoop the dough out onto a floured board, sprinkle over the rest of the sugar and the fruit. Knead the sugar and fruit into the dough. Knead for about 10 minutes then place into a large greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside somewhere warm until the dough has doubled in size, about an hour.
- Wrap the ring, if using, in the paper.
- Scoop the dough out onto a floured board again, add the ring and knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
- Place the dough into a greased 1lb loaf tin and place on the middle shelf in the oven. Bake for 50 minutes, check with a metal skewer, when the skewer comes out clean it is done. Leave to cool for 5 minutes in the tin then remove it and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Cut into slices and serve with a good helping of Irish butter.