Bara Brith

Origin: Welsh      Period: Traditional

Original Recipe

Cynhwysion

450g blawd hunan-godi
225g menyn
225g siwgwr
¼ llwy de nytmeg ffres
¼ llwy de sbeis cymysg
pinsiad o halen
60g o groen ffwythau
120g o gwrens
180g o sultanas
3 wy
300ml te poeth
6 llwy fwrdd o lefrith
1 llwy fwrdd o farmalêd
1 llwy fwrdd o driog melyn

Yn gyntaf dylid paratoi te cryf poeth. Dylid ychwanegu hwn i'r ffrwythau a'u gadael wedi eu gorchuddio dros nos. Y diwrnod wedyn dylid hidlo'r blawd i fowlen ac ychwanegu'r sbeis a'r nytmeg a phinsed o halen. Wedi torri'r menyn yn sgwaraid dylid ei ychwanegu i'r blawd a'i rwbio i fewn gyda blaenau'r bysedd. Wedi tynnu'r ffrwythau o'r te dylid eu ychwanegu i'r cymysgedd blawd a menyn ynghyd a'r siwgwr a'u cymysgu'n drwyadl. Wedi curo'r wyau gyda'r llefrith dylid ychwanegu hwn a'i guro i fewn i'r cymysgedd. Yn olaf, ychwanegu'r marmalêd a'r triog melyn. Wedi iro tun pobi bara hanner cilo (a leinio hwn gyda papur pobi) dylid arllwys y gymysgedd iddo a'i osod mewn popty a gynheswyd i 170°C ar ol chwarter awr dylid tynnu'r gacen allan a rhoi papur pobi am ei ben i arbed llosgi cyn ei ddychwel i'r poptu am tua ugain munud arall.

English Translation

Bara brith (literally 'spotted' or 'mottled' bread) is the traditional Welsh teatime cake. There are many variations on the recipe but the version below gives a flavoursome cake with all the traditional bread-like qualities expected of bara brith.

Ingredients:

450g self-raising flour
225g butter
225g sugar
¼ tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
¼ tsp mixed spice
pinch of salt
60g mixed peel
120g currants
180g sultanas
3 eggs
300ml hot tea
6 tbsp milk
1 tbsp marmalade
1 golden syrup

Method:

First prepare 300ml of strong tea. Pour the hot tea over the fruit in a bowl, cover and leave to stand over night. The following day sift the flour into a bowl, add the spice and nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Cut the butter into small cubes, add to the flour and rub this in with the tips of your fingers until the flour and butter are thoroughly mixed. Remove the fruit from the tea and add them to the butter and flour mixture. Tip in the sugar and mix well. Beat the eggs and milk together and add this to the mixture. Finally, add the marmalade and golden syrup and mix thoroughly. Grease a 500g bread or baking tin with butter, line with baking parchment and pour in the cake mixture. Bake in an oven pre-heated to 170°C for fifteen minutes. At the end of this time take the cake out, line the top with baking parchment (to prevent the top burning) and return to the oven for a further twenty minutes (at this point check the cake occasionally; it is ready when set in the middle and golden brown in colour). Bara brith is usually served at tea time spread with butter but it can be eaten as it. It may even be toasted and served buttered.

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