by Alan Noonan

Created on: January 02, 2007   Last Updated: April 24, 2009

Birn Breac is a traditional irish bread with sultanas and raisins. Its commonly seen around halloween, but can be eaten anytime. Heres a simple recipe.

2-1/2 cups Mixed dry fruit, currants, dates & raisins 1 pot Boiling black tea 1 Egg, slightly beaten 1 Mixed spice (Mixed spices: equal parts of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, and mace. 4 teaspoons Orange Marmalade 1-1/3 cup superfine sugar 2-1/2 cups Self-rising flour

The trick to making this irish tea bread is to leave the fruit soaking overnight in the tea. Take care while mixing the dough as the fruit may break up if kneaded to hard.

Place fruit in a bowl and cover with the hot tea and let soak overnight. The next day, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Preheat oven to 190c / 375 F. Pour mixture into greased 7-inch square pan and bake in the center of oven for 1-1/2 hours. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Slice and serve buttered or toasted then buttered with tea.

Traditionally, a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a small coin and a ring are also included in the mix. Each item, when received in the slice, was supposed to carry a meaning to the person concerned: the pea, the person would not marry that year; the stick would have an unhappy marriage or continually be in disputes; the cloth or rag, would have bad luck or be poor; the coin, would be rich or fortunate; and the ring, would be married within the year.

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