Barm Brack

This Halloween favourite is a perfect accompaniment with a hot cup of Irish Tea!

Ingredients:

125 ml lukewarm milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fresh yeast
250 g cream flour
1 tsp Goodalls Mixed Spice, pinch salt
3 tblsp butter
1 egg
200 g 2 mixed fruit (currants, sultanas, raisins, candied peel)
50 g caster sugar

Method:

1.Cream the yeast and the sugar and allow to froth up in the milk, which should be at room temperature. Sieve the flour, caster sugar and spice and rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture and the egg, beaten.

2.Beat with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes until a good dough forms. The fruit and the salt should be worked in by hand;and the whole kneaded. Put in a warm bowl, cover and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in size.

3.Knead lightly and place in a lightly-greased 7 inch/15cm diameter cake tin and allow a further 30 minutes rising time. Bake near the top of a pre-heated oven at 200°C (400°F/Gas 6), for 45 minutes. On removing from the oven the brack can be glazed with a syrup made from 2 tsp sugar dissolved in 3 tsp boiling water.

4. Serve warm, with a thick smear of Irish Butter and a hot cup of Irish Tea