Barmbrack, Irish tea brack or in Gaelic, bairín breac (meaning speckled loaf) is a traditional sweetened bread commonly made around the Halloween season in Ireland. Many of the older traditional recipes use yeast, and are lighter in colour and texture than the bracks most people come across today. For this recipe I referenced many different sources, including my mother’s copy of All In The Cooking, first published in 1946 and famous Irish flour makers Odlums well established directions.
I went through a few tests to find the right balance that worked for me and did my own take on it. I found light brown demerara sugar best and added a glaze of orange and honey. It’s customary to place a ring wrapped in parchment paper inside the brack, with the tradition saying that whoever finds it in their slice is meant to marry that year. There are other regional “gifts” or “tricks” that have been reported to have been included inside the loaves, such as a pea – meaning you won’t marry that year, a stick for an unhappy marriage, a piece of cloth for poverty and a coin for riches and wealth.
