Tea Brack is a traditional Irish recipe for a classic rich tea-time loaf infused with tea and containing dried fruit. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Irish version of: Tea Brack.
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Irish Tea Brack, also known simply as 'brack', is a traditional Irish sweet bread infused with the rich flavours of tea and dried fruit. It’s moist, dense, and perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea.
Ingredients:
250g mixed dried fruit (such as raisins, sultanas, currants)
300ml hot brewed tea (strong black tea works well)
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground mixed spice
100g brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
finely-grated zest of 1 orange (optional)
Method:
Place the mixed dried fruit in a heat-proof bowl and pour over the hot brewed tea. Cover with a cloth and set aside to macerate for at least 4 hours (but best over night) to allow the fruit to plump up.
When ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 160°C then grease and line a loaf tin with baking parchment.
Sift together the flour, cinnamon and mixed spice into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the brown sugar and orange zest (if using).
Gradually add the beaten egg to the dry ingredients, mixing well to combine.
Fold in the soaked fruit (along with any remaining liquid in the bowl), ensuring it's evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Scrape the resultant batter into the prepared loaf tin, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Transfer to the centre of your pre-heated oven and bake for about 60 minutes or until the tea brack is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre emerges cleanly.
Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out and allowing to cool completely.
Once cooled, slice the tea brack into thick slices and serve with butter or enjoy on its own with a cup of tea.
