Wales

Bara Brith (Speckled Bread)

• 450g mixed dried fruit
• 200ml cold tea
• 350g stone ground wholemeal flour
• 350g strong white flour
• 2 sachets "easy-bake" yeast
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
• 175g soft brown sugar
• 100g butter, melted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• honey

Soak the fruit for 3 hours in the cold tea.

Brush 3 x 450 g tins with oil and line the bottom with grease proof paper.

Put the flour into a large warm bowl and stir in the yeast, spice and sugar. Melt the butter and pour it into the flour together with the eggs and salt. Add the fruit and cold tea and knead gently for about 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Using a spatula, spread the dough to fit into the baking tins and leave to prove in a warm place for at least 2 hours. (Rising may take a long time due to the richness of the dough.)

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6 (400F, 200C).

Bake the bara brith on the shelf below the centre of the oven for 15 minutes; turn the heat down to gas mark 3 (325F, 160C) for a further 45 - 60 minutes, covering the top of the loaf tins with foil if it browns too much on top.

Brush the cooked bara brith with warm honey to glaze. Serve sliced and buttered.