Barm Brack

Traditional. Eaten all the year round, but particularly at Hallowe'en, when it has a gold ring baked in it; whoever gets the ring will be married within a year. Barm is the old word for yeast.

4 cups flour 1 cup tepid milk 1 1/4 cups sultanas 2 heaped Tbsp. butter 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup caster sugar 1 cake yeast (3/4 oz.) 1 cup currants 1/2 cup mixed chopped candied peel 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1 egg

All utensils should be warm before starting to make a brack. Sift the flour, spices and salt together, then rub in the butter. Cream the yeast with 1 tsp. of the sugar and 1 tsp. of the tepid milk. It should froth up; if it doesn't, it means the yeast is old and stale. Add the rest of the sugar to the flour mixture and blend well. Then pour the tepid milk and the beaten egg on to the yeast mixture, and combine with the flour, etc. Beat well with a wooden spoon or turn into the warmed bowl of an electric mixer and work with the dough hook at speed 6-8 for about 5 minutes. the batter should be stiff but elastic. Fold in the dried fruit and chopped peel; cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place until the dough is twice the size. Turn out and divide into two portions. Grease two 7-in. cake tins and put one portion in each tin, adding the ring at this stage. Cover again and leave to rise for abvout 30 minutes. Bake in a moderate to hot oven (400 degrees F.) for about 1 hour. Test with a skewer before taking out of the oven. Glaze the top with 1 tbsp. sugar dissolved in 2 tsp. boiling water and put back in the hot oven for about 3 minutes. Turn out to cool on a wire tray and when cool serve in slices with butter. It keeps very well, but if it gets stale it is very good toasted and served with butter.