BARA BRITH

This is a Welsh tea cake. Bara brith means speckled bread. No two Welsh cooks will agree on the recipe! Variations include adding a spoonful of marmalade or treacle to the tea and fruit mixture. Usually served sliced and buttered.

PREPARATION TIME: 5 hours 30 minutes

COOKING TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup Mixed dried fruit

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Boiling water

3 Tea bags

A pinch of all spice

1 Egg

1 & 1/2 cups Self raising flower

METHOD

In a large bowl, combine the mixed fruit and the sugar and add a pinch of all spice. In a measuring jug, put 3 tea bags into 1 cup of boiling water. When the tea is nice and strong, add to the fruit mixture and stir until the sugar dissolves. Leave to stand for a minimum of 5 hours, or overnight until the fruit has expanded.

Add the self raising flour and mix with a spatula until you have a stiff cake mixture (it will pour, but slowly). If your mixture is not stiff enough, add a little more flour.

Pre-heat the oven to 170C (or 150C fan forced). Pour the mixture into a greased bread/cake tin (mine is approx 25cm X 10cm). Cook towards the top of the oven for 1 & 1/2 hours. Turn out and allow to cool.

Slice thinly and butter to serve.