Bara Brith

Method

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1. Put the dried fruit and brown sugar in a bowl, pour the hot tea over, cover, and leave overnight at room temperature.

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2. The next day, heat the oven to 150C fan and line a 900 g loaf tin with baking paper.

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3. Stir the beaten egg, marmalade and orange zest into the soaked fruit — do not drain it, the liquid is part of the recipe.

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4. Sift the flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and salt over the top and fold through until just combined. The batter will be very stiff.

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5. Spoon into the tin and level the top, pushing it slightly into the corners.

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6. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Cover loosely with foil after 50 minutes if it is browning fast.

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7. A skewer should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.

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8. Brush the top with warm honey while it is still hot, then cool completely in the tin.

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9. Slice thickly and serve buttered.

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Chef’s Tips

• Overnight soak, no shortcuts. This is a one-bowl recipe that trades effort for time.
• Do not drain the fruit. That tea is the liquid in the batter.
• Low oven, long bake. A hot oven gives a burnt crust and a raw middle.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• No self-raising flour to hand? Use the same weight of plain flour plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder per 150 g.

Pairing Suggestions

• Salted Welsh butter
• A pot of strong tea
• A slice of Caerphilly

Storage & Reheating

Wrapped, it keeps a week and improves after two days. Freezes 3 months, sliced.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.