Bara Brith

Baking is a unique and delicious way of getting in touch with your ancestors. Birthday cakes, Christmas cookies and special bread recipes are passed down through families and are eagerly anticipated during holidays and celebrations.

Growing up I only met my paternal grandmother a couple of times. This is something I have regretted. All I really know is that my grandmother was born in Wales and could speak Welsh. Although the United Kingdom is the home of many ancestors I didn’t know much about Wales. Thus began a journey of learning about the land of my grandmother’s birth.

On this quest, I came across the Sisterhood of Avalon. From there I began to study Welsh using Duolingo, which in turn introduced me to Bara Brith. I had no idea what this was so I researched it. This traditional tea bread was a perfect addition toward my goal of including more Welsh culture in both my family celebrations and spiritual tradition. Bara Brith is Welsh for Bara meaning Bread and Brith meaning Speckled. The addition of dried fruit gives the bread its speckle.

According to what I have read Bara Brith was traditionally a yeast bread. However, I have found that many modern recipes are more like Lemon Loaf or Banana Bread using self-rising flour or baking soda as a leavening agent. After reviewing recipes from several sources, I was inspired to create a recipe that works for me.

The Recipe

Time: approx. 2.5 to 2.75 hours

Yield: 2 Loaves or 4 cobs

So, to start you need to either make a spice mix or purchase one. A traditional spice mix frequently includes Mace, but I could not find any in our local grocery stores. As with many things since Covid, it has disappeared.

Spice Mix*

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 ¾ tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ginger

¾ tsp nutmeg

¾ tsp allspice

¼ tsp cloves

Next you need to soak your dried fruit overnight. I am not fond of raisins in bread, so I did not add them to my Bara Brith although most, if not all, recipes call for them. If you choose to use raisins, I would use ½ cup of the currents and 1 cup of raisins. Of course, that can be adjusted to taste, however, I would not go over a cup of raisins.

Mixed fruit

½ to ¾ cup currants

1/3 cup candied peel

¼ cup finely chopped candied cherries

Soak overnight in 1 cup of black tea (eg: English Breakfast) with 2 tsp of brown sugar added

The Bread:

Ingredients:

1 cup of flour

½ cup of sugar (scant because of sugar added to the fruit, unless you like it sweet)

1 ½ tsp of salt

2 tsp of mixed spice (see above) 

1 ¼ cups of water

½ cup of milk

¼ cup of butter

4 tsp active dry yeast

2 eggs

4 ½ to 5 cups flour

Mixed fruit (see above)

Honey

Making the Bread:

1. Whisk together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, and mixed spices) in standing mixer.

2. Next combine the water, milk, and butter in a small saucepan, heat on medium until butter is melted. Do not boil. Remove from heat. Cool slightly (Between 105°C and 115°C) before adding yeast. Yeast is sensitive to temperature and if too cold will not rise properly and if too hot will die and not rise at all. I use a thermometer to check temps.

3. When liquid mixture is cool (lukewarm), add yeast, stir to dissolve.

4. Gradually add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients. Using paddle attachment, beat 2 minutes with mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. The mixture is more like a runny cake batter at this point.

5.  Next add eggs and enough flour (1/2 to 2 cups, add 1/2 cup at a time) to make a thick batter, similar to boxed cake batter. Beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down bowl, remove paddle, scrape off.

6. Change to dough hook. At stir speed add additional flour, ½ cup at a time to make a soft dough. You should watch the process at this point. Add only enough flour to ensure the dough comes away/cleans the sides of the bowl and is not too sticky to the touch.

7. Knead on speed 2 for an additional 2 minutes until smooth and elastic. If the mixture appears a bit wet, you can remove from bowl to lightly floured surface and knead a couple of times to ensure dough is smooth and elastic.

8. Place in greased bowl, grease top of dough, cover and let stand in warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. I usually cover it with a damp tea towel (not wet) and place in a warmed oven. While I am making the dough I turn on the oven set no higher than 145°C, for 2 or 3 minutes, and then turn it off. You want your oven warm not hot. You don’t want to cook anything, just warm enough keep the dough warm.

9.  While dough is rising in the oven, drain mixed fruit and dry slightly so it is not dripping wet.

10. When the hour is up punch down dough. Turn out on lightly floured surface and gradually add mixed fruit. Folding over and kneading until fruit is well combined. This takes a couple of minutes. If it gets too sticky, add a tiny sprinkle of flour.

11. Divide in half, form loaves, place into greased loaf pans and let rise for 50 to 60 minutes or until showing above tin edge to a height you like (about 1 inch).

OR

Divide into 4 equal pieces, form into cobs (round loaves) place onto greased sheets and let rise 50 to 60 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

12. Bake in 375°C oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Should be golden brown and hollow when tapped.

13. Remove immediately from pans and place on wire racks. Brush with warm honey (or marmalade). Let cool.

Please note baking is frequently affected by the altitude of your location, current weather (high humidity or dry), or even the type of oven you have. I live in a dry, high altitude location so my temps and times may not work exactly for you. If you decide to try this recipe you may have to make adjustments and try a recipe more than once to get it just right.

Seasonal Notes:

• Bara Brith is traditionally made/eaten to celebrate St. David’s Day (Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant) on March 1. It is also used for teatime.

• I am adding it to major celebrations within the year. - Nos Calan Gaeaf (Halloween/Samhain), Alban Arthan (Yule/Christmas), and Calan Mai (May Day). The spices fit in nicely with the fire aspects of these celebrations.