Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

2013 Cooking Club Week 7: Irish Tea Brack

  • 22-02-2013 1:42pm
    #1
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 18,173 CMod ✭✭✭✭


    This is pretty straightforward recipe, though it requires overnight soakage.

    Ingredients

    200ml strong tea*
    175g brown sugar
    450g mixed, dried fruit - sultanas/raisins, etc
    1 egg, lightly beaten
    250g plain flour
    Half a level teaspoon of bread soda
    Oven temperature 180C

    *You can also use 200ml of whiskey if you're so inclined, or throw in a small dash in with the tea.

    Method

    1. Put the tea, sugar and dried fruit in a bowl, cover and leave to soak overnight.

    teabrack1_zpse2b116b8.jpg

    2. The next day, grease a loaf tin (2lb).

    3. Move the fruit mixture/liquid around a bit. If you happen to taste some of it at this point I won't hold that against you. :pac:
    Next, add the lightly beaten egg to the fruit mixture.

    4. Sieve the flour and bread soda together and fold into the mixture.

    teabrack2_zpseb07017b.jpg

    teabrack3_zps76833596.jpg

    5. Turn into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour, it may need more or less (maybe 90 minutes). If you're cautious, do 45 minutes and check. Temperature - 180C or gas mark 4.

    teabrack4_zps17e517b3.jpg

    6. Cool on a wire tray, bring on the butter and eat!


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,680 ✭✭✭confusticated


    Looks good, I'm heading home for the weekend and my dad loves brack, so I might give it a go fairly soon!


  • Registered Users Posts: 156 ✭✭RoseBlossom


    I'll try to make this this weekend, hopefully I have enough dried fruit left over from the Christmas cake! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,269 ✭✭✭GalwayGuy2


    Hmmm, do you need a loaf tin? Or can you be sloppy and make it like a soda bread, or slip it into some square lasagna tray?:P


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,931 ✭✭✭huskerdu


    GalwayGuy2 wrote: »
    Hmmm, do you need a loaf tin? Or can you be sloppy and make it like a soda bread, or slip it into some square lasagna tray?:P

    It would be too wet to shape into a loaf without a tin, but a square lasanga tin would probably work. It would be flatter and bigger so you would need to watch if careful to make sure it cooked right through to the middle without burning the edges. Give it a go and check it every 10 minutes after 45 minutes and turn it down to 170 at that point if you are concerned.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,931 ✭✭✭huskerdu


    One other piece of advice, if you forget or dont have time to soak the fruit overnight, cheat by soaking it in very hot tea. It will absorb the liquid quicker
    and you can get away with a few hours. Stir it every so often.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 18,150 ✭✭✭✭Malari


    Oh wow, I used to make this exact recipe all the time when I was a teenager. Mom still makes them. I tend to make cups of tea now with no strong tea left in the pot so don't think of making it. I'll have to give it another go :):)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,680 ✭✭✭confusticated


    Burnt. :( 45 mins would have been enough I'd say.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 18,173 CMod ✭✭✭✭The Black Oil




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,680 ✭✭✭confusticated


    Cut off the sides and it was edible...I'll try again!


  • Registered Users Posts: 156 ✭✭RoseBlossom


    Made this today. Delicious - a slice of nostalgia!

    Mindful of Confusticated's experience, I baked at 170 C and checked every ten minutes from 40 minutes in (and put tin foil over the top at this point, to stop it browning much further). 70 minutes did it for me.

    8503797692_af65e96a1e_z.jpg


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 539 ✭✭✭In Exile


    Living away from Ireland, this is going to be a nice treat for the weekend!


  • Registered Users Posts: 724 ✭✭✭muckety


    I used to make this all the time, thanks for the reminder! Seem to remember adding mixed spice, and/or ground ginger for a bit of extra oomph... anyone try spices?


  • Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭amklo


    Made this at the weekend and really loved it, and I'm not usually a big fan of fruit cake. It's lovely and light. The bag of fruit that I had was only 375g but added dried cranberries to make up the pound and it was fab. Will definately make again :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,276 ✭✭✭Cheshire Cat


    Made this at the weekend and it compared favourably with the recipe I have used so far. As the dough does not contain butter (unlike my previous recipe) I can enjoy this with loads of butter!

    The only problem I had was that I had too much dough. I don't have a 2 lb tin so used a 1 kg tin which should be slightly bigger and I couldn't fit the entire mix into it. Filled a baby tin with the rest and it was lovely.

    Bought more fruit mix today to make this again.


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭sdp


    wonderful brack, thank you Black oil, its now a firm winner in our house, :) and so easy to make!
    with this batch we added a heaped table spoon of homemade seville orange marmalade, added a nice little tang,

    [IMG][/img]03EAA832D5B04D3091B06FD35407A70D-0000360696-0003285094-00500L-54079D6D7E1844B39BD1417569AB6731.jpg


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 18,173 CMod ✭✭✭✭The Black Oil


    Nice one, thanks for trying it. :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,284 ✭✭✭Chattastrophe!


    Made this today, sooo good, will definitely be making it again!

    I used a dash of whiskey along with the tea, and threw in a couple of spoons of marmalade as I hadn't quite enough raisins. I never knew before now that brack was made with tea!! :o

    The house smells lovely now! :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,807 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    Time of the year to make this fabulous easy recipe. I've made this so many times and always got compliments on it.

    House smells delicious!

    2rorwh3.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,991 ✭✭✭DavyD_83


    Going to try and make a gluten free version of this tonight in time for Halloween.
    Hoping if I just substitute gf flour it will work out OK.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,487 ✭✭✭Tipperary animal lover


    Just made this today yum yum yum, I'm not the best baker(actually I'm really bad) but this was eaten all in one sitting between four ... It's a definite keeper, cheers for the recipe.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 1,991 ✭✭✭DavyD_83


    Only got around to making my GF brack a few weeks after Halloween.
    The coeliacs in the house thought it was amazing, so will definitely make it again.
    I'd be a bit more reserved in the praise, but it worked and was good; I'll try to figure out how to tweak it in the future.
    I'd imagine it is tastier with real flour (same as most baking, unless actually designed to be GF), but that's kinda the deal we're stuck with.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,807 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    This gets better when left for A couple of days. Love this recipe. My go to.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,807 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    Bumping this up again given the time of year! Fruit soaking away.
    One of the simplest and most delicious recipes I’ve ever used.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 18,173 CMod ✭✭✭✭The Black Oil




  • Registered Users Posts: 11,807 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    Thanks. :)

    I really can't thank you enough for this lovely little recipe.

    I used a luxury fruit mix this time and it was more like a rich fruit cake.

    Only thing I do change is that I add less sugar (maybe 30 -40 g less)than the recipe otherwise it is too sweet for me.

    I brush the outside with honey and it keeps it lovely and moist.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,807 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    In these challenging times, something familiar is a huge comfort. So the house smells delicious and homely and I have something nice to have with a cuppa during the week.


  • Registered Users Posts: 882 ✭✭✭Jellybaby_1


    I have made Tea Brack since Adam was a boy. The recipe above is identical to mine except I have never added bread soda, usually just salt. Everyone loves it! Occasionally I'll add a little booze if I have it. I like the idea above of adding marmalade, I'll try it next week as there's already one in the process of being devoured in store. Has anyone ever added mixed spice or similar?

    I bake my brack at 160c for 50 mins.



  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭sdp


    Around this time of year, I add Allspice and nutmeg, Christmas tea brack 😉



  • Registered Users Posts: 882 ✭✭✭Jellybaby_1


    Ah yes, Allspice, I think I saw it in Tesco the other day, I used to buy it a lot back in the 70's.



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 304 ✭✭hole in my lovelywall


    Have made this before with great success. Thank you.

    Question though, maybe silly, if I make tea with loose tea, should I strain it?!



Advertisement