WELSH BARA BRITH

Bara Brith is a traditional teabread made with yeast and flavoured with fruits and spices. Teabreads can be made with bi carbonate of soda or baking powder as the rising agent, but the original recipe using yeast is best. Ingredients......175ml of milk, 2 dsp of instant dried yeast, 115gm of soft light brown sugar, 450gm of white bread flour (plus extra for dusting), 1/2 tsp of salt,115gm of butter/ marg, 280gm of mixed dry fruit, 55gm of mixed peel, 1 tsp of ground mixed spice, 1 egg, lightly beaten. Grease a large loaf pan (900gm capacity) with cooking spray. Warm the milk in a saucepan until just warm and add the yeast with 1 tsp of the sugar. Mix well and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes until frothy. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Rub in the butter/ marg with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the remaining sugar, dried fruit, mixed peel and spice mix. Add the egg and yeast mixture to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with cling wrap. Leave to rise in a warm spot for 60 minutes or until doubled in size. Now preheat your oven to 190 deg C. When the dough has risen, turn it out and knead lightly. Shape into a rectangle the length of the prepared loaf pan . Cover and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes or until risen above the pan. Bake on the middle shelf in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Place a sheet of baking paper loosely over the top of the loaf if it is browning too much. Continue to bake for a further 30 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow on the base when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve sliced spread with butter/ marg.