MATTYB'S BARA B

With St David's day just over a month away it's time to get my welsh inspired bake on. When I went on holiday to North Wales last year I saw Bara Brith being sold in many of the bakeries and tea shops around the area and it really caught my eye. A yummy mixed spice fruit loaf made either with yeast (for the super traditional) or without, the dried fruit and candied peel used in the dough/batter is soaked in tea overnight before being added to really make this bake a great afternoon treat. Why not give my yeast free version a go this coming 1st March.

Bara Brith

75g Raisins
75g Currants
75g Candied Peel
225ml Strong Tea
225g Self Raising Flour
1 Tsp Mixed Spice
100g + 2Tbsp Soft Brown Sugar
1 Whole Beaten Egg

1. Place the raisins, currants and candied peel into a bowl and pour over the tea. Leave to soak for at least an hour but if you can, overnight for a much stronger tea taste.
2. After the soaking, get your oven on to 180 degrees (160 fan) and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
3. Mix together the flour, mixed spice and 100g of brown sugar in a bowl before adding in the soaked fruit (along with any tea left in the bowl) and the beaten egg and give everything agood old beating until well combined.
4. Pour the Bara Brith batter into the lined tin and level out the top before sprinkling over the remaining two tbsp's of sugar.
5. Place in the oven for 50-60 minutes until golden brown on top and a little inserted skewer comes out clear. If the top of the Bara Brith is going too dark cover it with a piece of foil to prevent it from burning.

It's as simple as that! Remove the tin from the oven and leave to cool in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, crack through the sugary crust and cut yourself a nice big slab to slather with lashings of butter and curd/jam. Serve with a big mug of tea and you have a perfect teatime treat that's fabulous any time of the year, not just St David's day!

That's right folks, you should always this mantra: A Bara Birth is for life, not just for St Davids Day.