3
cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1-1/2 cups raisins
1 egg
1/2 cup honey (use heater honey if you can find it)
1 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter a heavy skillet or casserole, 10" to 11" and 2" or
3" deep.
Sift the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together.
Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles peas.
Add the raisins and toss to distribute evenly.
Beat the egg in another bowl until very frothy.
Beat in the honey.
Beat in the buttermilk.
Gradually stir into the flour.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake about an hour or until the middle is set.
Cut into wedges and serve warm from the pan.
Irish
Barmbrack
4-5
cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter
2-1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2 ounces golden raisins
1/2 pound currants
1/2 cup chopped candied orange and/or lemon peel
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
Combine yeast, a pinch of the sugar, and milk; let sit 5 minutes.
Sift the flour, nutmeg, salt, and remaining sugar together.
Rub butter into flour mixture.
Beat the eggs with the yeast/milk mixture.
Add liquid to the dry ingredients and beat well until batter is stiff.
Fold in currants, raisins, and peel.
Pour into a greased 8" cake pans so that the mixture fills half way
up the pan.
Cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place until mixture has
doubled in size (about 1 hour). Brush top of the dough with a little
beaten egg to give a glaze and bake at 400°F for 1 hour or until a
toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
