Donate Now!

Donate Now!
Buy a membership or koozies to help!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Hallowe'en Barm Brack

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 heaping tablespoons butter
1 package yeast
1 cup sugar, divided
1 cup warm milk, divided
1 egg
1 1/4 cups golden raisins
1 cup currants
1/2 cup mixed candied peels
ring, coin, stick, pea, thimble, each individually wrapped in wax paper.

Sift together flour, spices and salt. Pinch your butter. Mix yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon warm milk (if it doesn't froth you need new yeast) Add remaining sugar to the flour, blending well. Pour remaining milk and the egg into the yeast mix, then combine with the flour mix. Use a wooden spoon to beat it into submission. Dough should be stiff but elastic. Fold in the fruit, the peels and the wrapped trinkets. Cover with a cloth and set aside to double in size. Turn out and divide into two. Place each loaf on a greased sheet pan, cover and let rise 30 minutes.

Bake at 400F for 1 hour. Glaze with 1 tablespoon sugar dissolved in 2 teaspoons boiling water. return to oven for 3 minutes. Turn out on rack to cool.

HOWEVER, Husband is harassing me about making these cups cake rather than a bread. Haven't decided yet, but I might make nut cake instead. will let you know.

3 comments:

SkippyMom said...

This is the recipe I have been waiting for! Thanks - I could noodle through the rest of your menu but I had no idea what this was - and I didn't want to google it because I was waiting on you. [yeah, I am a lazy b*tch like that, hee]

Now are you going to tell us the history behind this or are you going to force me to actually look it up? 'Cause you know Wikipedia has a site about this. How factual I don't know - but I would rather hear it from you. lol [kidding, kidding I know you must be insanely busy.]

So excited for you - can't wait until Sunday! I'll be thinking of you all.

Phelan said...

The Irish believe that Samhain is the night that splits worlds. This is the closet time you will ever get to deceased loved ones while living. Because of this, divination becomes more potent. Placing the trinkets into the breads and serving it foretells what the future holds for that person. You get the ring, you will be married within the year, a thimble you will be a spinster. You get the stick, you will be traveling, The pea is for poverty while the coin is for riches.

Phelan said...

Actually, all the foods I have on my menu have a reason, or belief behind them.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...