Tea Brack

This is the tea brack that I have been making for years, tweaking it along the way in an attempt to create the perfect cake and it is one that I am incredibly proud of. It is moist, but not damp, keeps incredibly well and tastes so delicious, liberally spread with good Irish butter.

 

Many tea brack recipes include ground spices, but I specifically choose not to do so because I like the subtle background taste of the tea to really come through. I may have mentioned before, but I love tea!

 

To clarify – I REALLY love tea!

 

I know that I may be sounding a bit Mrs. Doyle about this but in my opinion it is the most wonderful drink – refreshing yet comforting at the same time.

Nothing beats tea.

With each of my pregnancies, my sense of taste became distorted and foods and beverages that I had previously liked, tasted awful to me. I would have coped better if I could at least have still enjoyed my cups of tea, but even they tasted terrible to me. Little wonder that within minutes of each of my three gorgeous children being born, I was demanding a cup of strong tea! Ah... go on, go on, go on!
 

Ingredients:

200ml strong black tea, made with three Barry’s Gold Blend tea bags

150g sultanas

100g golden sultanas

150g raisins

50g currants

175g soft brown (Muscovado) sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

25g butter, melted

275g plain flour

½ tsp bread soda
 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C/ Fan Oven 160C/Gas Mark 4. Butter and line 900g loaf tin.
2. Put the tea and dried fruit into a saucepan and bring up to the boil. Boil for one minute and then set aside to cool slightly. When slightly cooled add soft brown sugar and set aside.
3. Stir the egg and melted butter into the cooled fruit mixture.

4. Sieve the plain flour and bread soda together and fold into the egg and fruit mixture.

5. Place the mixture in the prepared loaf tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes. Allow cool in tin for 10 minutes before turning out. Cool on a wire rack.

  

Serves 8-10.