Gold Star ‘Speckled Bread’

When we moved to Wales in 2012, I had no specific plans. After a career in the civil service, the early days in Rose Chapel were all about home building; carpets, curtains, fitted wardrobes. No time needing filled. Slowly, gently, I eased into the locality and picked up a couple of part time roles. But still no long term plan.

And then - from somewhere, who knows where - an idea formed.

Cakes. Yep, no idea where that came from! Sure, I’d baked quite a bit when we were out in Cyprus, fundraisers for RAF charity events and the like. Perhaps it was the post-Civil Service transition training - you had to formulate a business plan of sorts. A café … yes, that would be the thing, why not?

It gives you notions; of cakes and the like.

Suddenly, I am firing up the ovens at home, producing cakes in crazy numbers for local agricultural shows. Every weekend, we would find ourselves learning the rudiments of retail; trying to grab the attention of local farmers who were clearly more interested in the cider seller’s wares.

In those early days, I didn’t even offer tastes; so much to learn. Then, after one particular show attended by our neighbour, Ivor (every Welsh village needs an Ivor), the conversation turned to the Welsh classic, Bara Brith (the ‘speckled bread’ of the title). Elisabeth Luard to the rescue with an easy-to-follow recipe (from ‘A Cook’s Year in a Welsh Farmhouse’), some secret twists of my own to the spice mix, and the Bara Brith was flying off the sales table in the rural craft tents.

By the time we opened our deli, it was a staple - as soon as they were on the shelves, they were gone. The Guild of Fine Food awarded it a Gold Star and Mrs Deli was suddenly the go-to ‘cake lady’. Great days indeed.

It seems only fair to share the recipe with you.

{story by Mrs Feasts}

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{makes 1 large loaf}

Ingredients

500g mixed dried fruit (200g each of raisins + sultanas; 100g currants)

300g hot strong tea

250g self raising flour

4g mixed spice

100g dark muscovado sugar

2 large eggs (I always prefer organic and free range, if available)

Put the fruit and tea into a roomy bowl and leave to soak for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.

Next day.

Preheat the oven to 130oC fan, line a large loaf tin. Sift the flour and spice into the soaked fruit, no need to drain, and stir in the sugar and eggs. Mix it all together with a wooden spoon until very well combined.

Bake in the gentle oven for 90 mins, until well risen, firm and brown. Cool in the tin, then if you can, store for at least two days, til rich and glue’y - it needs a few days to develop it's characteristic elasticity.

Slice thickly and serve with salty Welsh butter.

{Alternatively, prepare as above but weigh evenly into two small loaf tins; bake, then eat one, gift one}