In Ireland there is a traditional Barmbrack – a yeasted bread with sultanas and raisins. The Halloween Brack traditionally contains several objects baked inside, which foretell the future to the one who finds them inside his peace of Barmbrack. For example: a pea means that the person would not marry within the year; while a ring is for marriage; a stick has the meaning of continuous quarrels in the family; a piece of cloth is for bad luck; a coin – for good fortune.

Today the traditional Barmbrack, apart from the raisins, can contain different dried fruit and spices.

Ingredients:
450 g mixed dried fruit
350 g flour, mixed with baking powder and a pinch of salt
2-3 g mixed spice for sweets
250 ml cold black tea
170 g brown sugar
2 eggs

Directions:
Soak the fruit overnight in the tea.

Sieve the flour, add sugar, spice, tea and fruit, then eggs, stirring well to mix.

Turn into a well greased loaf tin and bake in a moderate oven at 180°C for 1-1,5 hours.