Bara Brith (Speckled Bread) Recipe

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

1.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).

2.Next day, sieve the flour and fold it it into the fruit. Mix in the lightly beaten egg.

3.Line a small loaf-tin with buttered paper then tip in the mixture, smoothing it well into the corners.

4.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.

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