Bara Brith

 Very nice with butter

Ingredients

·         400 g Dried Mixed Fruit

·         300 ml Hot Tea

·         100 g Soft Dark Brown Sugar

·         2 tsp Mixed Spice

·         1 tbsp Black Treacle

·         250 g Self-raising Flour

·         1 Free-range Egg (beaten)

Instructions

1.             In a large bowl, place your dried mixed fruit, hot tea and sugar. Once the tea cools, cover and leave the fruit to soak up the tea and sugar over night.

2.             The next day, pre-heat your oven to 180°c (160°c for fan assisted ovens or Gas Mark 4). Line a 2lb loaf tin with grease proof paper and set aside.

3.             Sift the flour and mixed spice into the bowl of soaked mixed fruit. Add the [beaten] egg, treacle and mix everything together until well combined.

4.             Pour the mixture into your lined loaf tin, spreading to the corners. Bake in your pre-heated oven for about 50 minutes - 1 hour, until dry on top and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

5.             Once cool, remove from the tin but keep the greaseproof paper lining on. Bara Brith is best enjoyed after a couple of days kept in an air tight container, sliced with a spread of butter/margarine.