Barmbrak

Barmbrak is an Irish dessert that my mum fell in love with a few years ago. She brought the recipe back to Canada with her, and made me a convert. Anyone who thinks Irish cuisine is all fried breakfasts and nothing else, then try this. Dr. Liam claims that it is customary to put a ring or a coin into the mix so that one lucky recipient gets a special treat (or a broken tooth).

Mix the following ingredients:

1 cup raisins
1/2 cup currants
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp cooking oil
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups hot water

Boil the mixture for 5 minutes

Let this cool this off.

Mix your wet ingredients with :

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves

Form a round loaf on your baking sheet. Form two if you like. Hell.... double the recipe and make four.

Bake at 300 degrees F for up to two hours. If you make two loaves like I did, it takes about an hour to bake.

Use the toothpick test and save some for your friends. They'll enjoy it too. Jim and Mona will vouch for me.