Back To Brack

When you get in from school on a cold autumnal day, there’s nothing like a good hot cup of tea and slice of something filling and fruity to keep you going until it is ‘proper’ mealtime. The class I have been covering this term is called “Amber” and I think Amber is a good autumnal colour.

Listening to a ‘tea-expert’ on the radio last week, he said that a good cuppa should be “the colour of a burnished 2p piece” – which I think is amber.

The fallen leaves are amber – and this loaf is definitely a rich amber colour

OK – this is half a loaf [better than no bread, after all] because we were well into eating it before I remembered to take a photo] Brack is an Irish tea bread, containing dried fruit. This recipe is based on one given to me by a friend from Belfast who was a student with me in 1976!

It is unbelievably easy. The ingredients can be substituted to suit what’s available. Mix the following in a bowl

• 1 cup bran cereal [flakes or the twiggy sort]
• 1 cup dried fruit [sultanas, raisins, currants or a mixture]
• 1 cup sugar [granulated, demerara, caster or soft brown]
• 1 cup liquid [milk or cold tea]
• 1 tsp cinnamon or mixed spice

Stir well and leave for at least two hours, or overnight. Preheat your oven to 170°. Now stir into your bowl 1 cup of self raising flour and 1 beaten egg. Mix well, ensuring all the flour is incorporated. Line a loaf tin and pour in the mixture. Smooth the top. Bake for 75minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool. Serve sliced, with a cup of tea. With butter if feeling rich and decadent!

This is one of those loaves that will keep well in a tin – but is usually eaten too fast to prove that fact!