Description
A rich and flavorful Bara Brith infused with dark chocolate, zesty orange, and warming ginger. This traditional Welsh fruit bread is soaked in strong tea overnight, then baked to moist perfection, topped with melted dark chocolate and optional dried orange peel for a delightful twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Tea Soak
- 3 strong black teabags
- 350ml boiling water
- 300g dried mixed fruit
Batter
- Butter, for greasing the tin
- 180g dark brown soft sugar
- 4–5 balls of stem ginger, roughly chopped
- 100g dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tsp marmalade
- 2 drops orange essence or zest of 1 orange
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- 230g self-raising flour
- ½ tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground ginger
- Pinch of salt
Decoration
- 50g dark chocolate
- 2 oranges (optional, for dried peel)
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit soak: Place the teabags in a heatproof jug and pour over 350ml boiling water. Let it brew for 5 minutes. Transfer the dried mixed fruit to a large heatproof bowl and pour the brewed tea over it. Cover and leave to soak overnight to plump the fruit.
- Preheat and prepare the tin: Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan)/gas mark 3. Butter a 2lb loaf tin thoroughly and line with baking parchment to prevent sticking.
- Make the batter: Scatter the dark brown soft sugar over the soaked fruit and stir well to help it dissolve. Then add the chopped stem ginger, chopped dark chocolate, marmalade, orange essence or zest, beaten egg, self-raising flour, mixed spice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and a pinch of salt. Mix all ingredients together until a thick, even batter forms.
- Bake the bara brith: Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf tin, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Cool the loaf: Take the bara brith out of the oven and leave it in the tin for 10 minutes to settle. Then turn it out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- Prepare the decoration: Melt the 50g dark chocolate gently in the microwave using short bursts or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water.
- Optional dried orange peel: Peel the oranges and cut the peel into thin strips. Pat the strips dry with a kitchen towel and spread them on a baking tray. Bake at 90°C (or the oven’s lowest setting) for about 3 hours, checking and turning every 45 minutes, until dried. Let them cool completely.
- Decorate the loaf: Drizzle the melted dark chocolate over the cooled bara brith and scatter with the dried orange peel for an elegant finishing touch.
Notes
- Soaking the dried fruit overnight in strong tea enhances the flavor and moisture of the bara brith.
- You can substitute orange essence with the zest of a fresh orange for a more natural citrus flavor.
- The optional dried orange peel adds a lovely crunchy texture and citrus aroma to the finished loaf.
- Ensure the batter is thick enough to hold together but not too dry; adjust flour slightly if needed.
- This loaf keeps well for several days wrapped tightly and tastes great toasted with butter.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus overnight soaking)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Welsh
Keywords: Bara Brith, Welsh fruit bread, dark chocolate cake, ginger bread, orange zest dessert, tea soaked fruit bread
