Everyone’s favourite Irish chef Donal Skehan has produced a great video demonstrating how to make delicious Irish Tea Cakes, or Barmbrack.
The Irish Tea Cake is a moist fruit loaf. As Donal says, tea and butter are a must to enjoy the traditional treat.
During Halloween, a present would be hidden inside one of the portions of the dessert, and the family member that found it in their food was considered fortunate.
However, the Irish Tea Cake, as it is known throughout the rest of the year is a popular treat for all occasions.
Donal explains that the fruit is soaked in cold tea and whiskey overnight, to give it a full moist texture and flavour.
During the preparation, mixed spice is added to the dough to lift the flavours from the fruit and create a wonderful smell in your kitchen as the Tea Cakes bake.
Take a look at the video with Donal demonstrating how to make the tasty treat.
Here are the step-by-step instructions from Donal Skehan.
- Place the fruit mix in a bowl and pour over the whiskey and cold tea. Allow to soak up the liquid overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 170˚C/327°/Gas Mark 3 and grease and line a 900g loaf tin. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and mixed spice in a mixing bowl. Make a well and break in the egg, using a wooden spoon, mix the egg with the dry ingredients. Add a little bit of the liquid the fruit mix is sitting in and mix it through. You may not need all the liquid, you are looking for a wet dough. Then stir through the fruit mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Add in the ring and stir through. Spoon the wet dough into the lined loaf tin and place in the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from the loaf tin and placing on wire rack.
- Cover in cling wrap and tin foil and allow to sit for 1-2 days before cutting into it. Serve in slices spread with a little butter and good cuppa!
More for the bake-off
How to make Barmbrack…the Irish ‘speckled loaf’
How to make delicious Irish Soda Bread with this easy recipe