Overnight Tea-Soaked Bara Brith

⏱ 90 min · Serves 10

A proper Welsh speckled bread: dried fruit steeped overnight in strong tea, then baked into a dark, sticky, honey-glazed loaf. No kneading, no yeast — just slice it thick and slather with salted butter.

Per serving: 296 kcal · 5.1g protein · 66.0g carbs · 1.4g fat

Ingredients

• 300g mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants)
• 250ml hot strong black tea (2 teabags)
• 175g soft dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp orange marmalade
• 300g self-raising flour
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of fine salt
• Zest of 1 orange
• Butter, for greasing
• 1 tbsp honey, warmed, to glaze

Method

1. Put the dried fruit and brown sugar in a large bowl, pour over the hot tea, stir, cover and leave to soak overnight (or at least 6 hours). The fruit should be plump and the liquid syrupy.
2. Heat the oven to 160C fan / 180C conventional. Grease a 900g (2lb) loaf tin and line with baking parchment.
3. Stir the beaten egg, marmalade and orange zest into the soaked fruit — do not drain off any liquid.
4. Sift in the flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and salt. Fold together gently with a spatula until just combined; the batter will be thick and sloppy.
5. Scrape into the tin and level the top. Bake for 60–70 minutes, until risen, deep brown and a skewer in the centre comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil after 45 minutes if it darkens too fast.
6. Brush the hot loaf with warm honey while still in the tin, then cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto a rack.
7. Cool completely before slicing. It improves after a day wrapped in foil — serve in thick slices with salted butter and a cup of tea.