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Bara Brith
Bara Brith (Speckled Bread) is a delicious Welsh bread and in this bara brith recipe I use the traditional method of using yeast.
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Makes: 1 loaf
Ingredients
  • 450 g (16 oz) strong white flour
  • 225 ml (8 fl oz) lukewarm milk
  • 150 g (5 oz) dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, mixed peel, ...)
  • 75 g (2½ oz) demerara (turbinado) sugar
  • 75 g (2½ oz) butter
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tsp dried yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp mixed spice (pumpkin spice)
  • Honey for the glaze.
Instructions
  1. Add the yeast and the tsp of sugar to the warm milk. Mix and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
  2. Sift the flour into a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour until the texture is like fine sand.
  3. Add in the sugar, salt and mixed spice. Mix well.
  4. Make a well in the centre and add the milk and the beaten egg. Mix well to a smooth, probably sticky dough.
  5. Liberally sprinkle a surface with flour. Turn out the dough and knead until you have incorporated enough flour to lose the stickiness, then knead for a further 7-8 minutes.
  6. Place the dough in a lightly-greased bowl, cover and allow the dough to double in size.
  7. When the dough has risen turn it out onto a floured surface, knock it back and pour on the dried fruit. Fold over and knead the dough for 5 minutes.
  8. Make the dough into a ball and place on a lightly-greased baking tray. Cover and leave to rise for about 30 minutes in a nice warm place.
  9. Bake in the oven at 180°C/350°F fan oven, 200°C/400°F for 30-35 minutes.
  10. Transfer to a wire rack and brush with warm honey while the bread is still hot. Leave to cool before slicing.
Notes
Don't worry if your dough is quite sticky at the beginning. Simply knead in some more flour.

To improve the appearance of the bread I remove any fruit which is on the surface of the dough before its final rising.

Serve slightly warm spread with butter.