Chef's Delight: Irish tea brack

Recipe by Adrian Martin

A WORD FROM THE CHEF

This tasty teabrack doesn’t last very long in our house, so you have to make two of them! It lasts for ages in a tin. If you are adding any extra ingredients (such as a ring, as is tradition at this time of year), be careful not to chip a tooth or choke.

INGREDIENTS

225g (8oz) sultanas

225g (8oz) currants

25g (1oz) cherries

350ml (12fl oz) strong, cold tea

One beaten egg

200g (7oz) sugar

A level teaspoon of mixed spice

215g (7 ½ oz) self-raising flour

13 x 20cm (5 x 8in) loaf tin, lined with parchment paper

Two tablespoons of honey

METHOD

Soak the fruit in the tea overnight.

The next day preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

Add the beaten egg, sugar, flour and mixed spice to the fruit mixture. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 1½ hours. You may need to cover the top with greaseproof paper while cooking to protect the it.

When cooked, brush the top with honey and allow to cool on a wire rack. Cut into slices and serve with butter.

ABOUT THE CHEF

Adrian Martin from Bawnboy is a regular on our TV screens and an ambassador for Odlums.

He runs the Mayflower restaurants in Dublin and Camden, London.

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