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Psychic Irish Barmbrack

downtonabbeycooks · October 13, 2018 ·

Barmbrack is a traditional Irish bread. Barmbrack means “speckled loaf” in Gaelic. It is baked in either a loaf pan or cake pan depending on your family tradition.  The brack foretells the future.

Baked with charms, a piece is served to each member of the family, and your piece may contain a charm which will determine your fate:


  • A coin: good things, hopefully riches, on the way
  • A ring: you’ll be married within the year
  • A snippet of cloth: rags, poverty, bad luck in the year ahead

Psychic Irish Barmbrack

Barmbrack means "speckled cake".  It is baked in either a loaf pan or cake pan depending on your family tradition.  The brack foretells the future.  Baked with charms, a piece is served to each member of the family, and your piece may contain a charm which will determine your fate: A coin: good things, hopefully riches, on the way; A ring: you’ll be married within the year; A snippet of cloth: rags, poverty, bad luck in the year ahead
4 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
Course Afternoon Tea, Dessert
Cuisine Edwardian, Irish, Low Fat, Victorian
Servings 1 loaf or cake

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 cups chopped dried fruit (depending on how fruity you like it)
  • 1 cup black tea
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. allspice
  • 3/4 cup sugar (or plant based substitute, like Stevia)
  • 3 small charms coin, ring, cloth
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Instructions
 

  • Heat the fruit and tea in a sauce pan for 15 minutes and then let it cool. Retain the steeped tea to thin the dough if you need it.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a large loaf pan or cake pan.
  • Mix together with the rest of the ingredients (apart from the honey/golden syrup) and stir in the charms which you have wrapped in parchment paper. Mix until combined.  If the dough seems too thick, add some milk or steeped tea.
  • Bake for 60 minutes or until risen and firm to the touch.
  • If you like a graze, melt honey or golden syrup and brush over the brack before you are ready to serve.
  • Serve in slices to your family, but let them know there are charms inside to avoid any possible choking.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Filed Under: Afternoon Tea, Halloween, Low Fat, St. Patricks Day, Sweets Tagged With: Downtown. Abbey recipes, English cuisine, Halloween dishes, Healthy recipes, Irish Halloween Tradiitions

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About me

I am Pamela Foster. Food historian. Wife. Downton and Gilded Age fan. Foodie.

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