Irish Tea Cake

There was an assumption that my paternal ancestors came from Ireland. No one knows where this information came from and I suppose when you looked at the family's dark hair and fair skin, you didn't really question it.

As a child I learned Irish dancing; we ate lots of potatoes and cabbage, drank a lot of tea and my father was a Socialist. So it came as quite a surprise when, years later I started to uncover the real family history. No trace of Irish anywhere! 

I've found a brief but unexplained encounter with King Charles II and the Holt Family of Aston Hall, but no Irish. So I'm a bit bemused to understand why I feel so at home when I visit the Emerald Isle.

Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

But I have strayed a little from the topic of tea and teacake. I hope you will see where I am heading -  soon.

There's not one good reason to visit Ireland, there's many. Wonderful scenery, the greenest green countryside, a torturous history and the very friendly Irish themselves. 

Powis Castle, Ireland

Portballintrae, Northern Ireland

But if you are not able to visit, I have a suggestion. You can have a hint of the country by baking a Barmbrack, (Irish teacake) . This has been a family recipe for a very long time, although I must admit it's a fair time since I have cooked it. (And why my non-Irish family had this recipe is still a total mystery.)

I'm feeling a little homesick (for a country I don't come from) so I've rustled up some dried fruit and lots of cold tea and here is the result.

BARMBRACK

Ingredients

375g dried fruit - I use currants, sultanas, raisins, cranberries and peel
50ml whiskey*
250ml cold tea - I use Irish Breakfast Tea
225g Plain Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
100g soft brown sugar
3/4 tsp mixed spice
1 tablespoon of whiskey extra ( optional)

• Soak dried fruit in whiskey and cold tea, overnight.

• Preheat oven to 160/320º. Grease and line a loaf tin (about 750g)

• In a large bowl add sugar, plain flour, baking powder, mixed spice.

• Using a wooden spoon mix beaten egg to the flour mixture. 

• Now add any remaining liquid from the soaked fruit.

• You need to have a reasonably wet looking batter. 

• Now add the fruit and mix until everything is even.

• Spread this into your prepared tin and bake for 30 - 50 minutes. 

• Check with a skewer to see if it is cooked through, leave in the tin to cool slightly, then finish on a rack.

• I added 1 tablespoon of whiskey to the base of the cake, then wrapped in foil for 2 days before slicing and eating. Delicious with a strong cup of tea and shared with friends.

Eat it as it is or slather it with butter, either way it's very Irish.

* In Ireland, whiskey is spelt with an 'e' but in Scotland it is spelt without.

Cranberry and Pear Dessert

I've been out in the National Park counting koalas! I haven't seen this many in a long time - I counted 12. Usually you only see one or two, because they are hiding from the wind or the rain. But yesterday there was a little bit of sunshine and koalas were out sleeping at the tops of  trees trying to catch that little bit of warmth on their backs. Don't we all just love that?
Now I'm home, after a brisk walk -  actually it wasn't brisk at all,  I'm still only walking at around 3 kms an hour - and I fancied making some dessert.

I've made quite a few pear puds, but today I wanted something with a bit of umph - if you know what I mean, so I've turned to my Cranberry and Pear Dessert, because I know it's got some nice tangy bits and I might just increase that today by adding some extra lemon zest.

If you find yourself wanting a little love,  then you can't go past indulging yourself with this. If you are time poor, it can be prepared in ten minutes, rest in the fridge for 60 minutes and cooked in 25 minutes. Not too long to put aside for a bit of self indulgence.

CRANBERRY AND PEAR DESSERT

2 Beurre Bosch pears, peeled, cored and quartered

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup caster sugar
A handful of flaked almonds

2 eggs and 2 egg yolks extra

1 cup milk - cows, soy, almond

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup of Muscat or port or orange juice

30g plain flour
zest of 1 lemon

1. In a small container combine the dried cranberries and port/muscat/orange juice, for at least 30 minutes.

2. Beat together sugar, eggs and egg yolks until thick and creamy. Fold in flour.

3. Add vanilla to milk and stir, then carefully mix in with flour and eggs.

4. Fold in lemon zest. Allow this to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes . 

5. Prepare the pears by peeling and coring and cut into quarters.

6. Using a shallow ovenproof dish, lay pears in a single layer over the bottom of the dish.

7. Pour the egg mixture over the pears (it will form a nice custard).

8. Drain cranberries and sprinkle them over the top of the custard.

9. Lastly, add a handful of flaked almonds. Oven bake 190º/375, for 25 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly and serve with cream, ice cream, yoghurt or on its own.