It’s hard to believe that August is here. The summertime seems to be flying by much to the dismay of schoolchildren as it will be back to school time soon. There are a number of channels that are devoted to cooking. I recently discovered Recipe TV, and Irish chef, Catherine Fulvio.
Filmed in County Wicklow Ireland, Catherine’s Ballyknocken Cookery School and Bed and Breakfast looks like a slice of heaven straight out of a Hallmark Movie. The surrounding land is lush, green, and full of life and color. A Taste of Ireland and Catherine’s Farmhouse Kitchen serves up recipes with warmth, charm, and care. Catherine is a joy to watch, and it’s extra special when she includes her lovely daughter, Charlotte, as well as the many wonderful residents in town.
There’s a recipe that would make for a lovely morning treat for moms and dads alike, whether you’re a coffee or tea lover. The resulting tea cake is perfect to add a little zen to your day. I have yet to perfect making her family recipe for Barm Brack, but I plan to have a tasty time trying, I hope you do too.
I have included the following recipe adaptations in parenthesis for the following dietary requirements:
- Gluten-free
- Sugar-free
- Low-Sugar
- Vegan and Vegetarian
If you don’t get Recipe TV in your area, we’ve including the links to Catherine’s Blog and website.
Barm Brack recipe by Catherine Fulvio
1 square cake
350ml / 12fl oz cold Irish breakfast tea (1 ½ cups)
540g / 19 ounces/ about 2 cups raisins (golden raisins)
275g / 9 1/2 ounces 1 ¼ cups sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit sweetener, coconut, turbinado, or raw can sugar, pulsed fine)
275g / 9½ oz unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons) (vegan butter)
400g / 14 oz about 1 1/2 cups* self-rising flour (gluten-free recipe self-rising flour follows)
1 tsp mixed spice (I used cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom)
3 to 4 beaten eggs (1/2 cup Aquafaba, ¾ cup silken tofu pureed with ½ teaspoon baking soda, vegan egg replacer, or egg replacer)
Chopped nuts and glacé cherries (optional)
Preheat the oven to 320°F /160°C/gas 4. Line a 9-inch square cake tin with greased parchment paper. Wrap trinkets such as coins and rings in parchment paper (as tightly and neatly as possible).
Place the tea, fruit, sugar, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Sieve the flour and mixed spice into a large bowl.
When the boiled mixture has cooled, pour into the flour, and mix well. Add the beaten eggs and mix well again. Pour into the prepared cake tin. Push the wrapped trinkets into the cake mixture (i.e. below the surface, so there is no trace of them when the cake is cooked).
Bake for approximately 1½ hours.
Insert a skewer into the cake to check that it is cooked – if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
Leave in the cake tin to cool for 20 minutes before removing it onto a cooling rack.
Notes
- The measurements for the recipe are metric, if possible, weigh your ingredients. It’s the best way to ensure a good bake.
- Also, adjust the baking time according to your oven.
This recipe is by the G-Free Foodie
Yield: 1 cup of gluten-free self-rising flour
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour, or 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tsp xanthan gum, only if your blend does not contain it
Instructions
Mix ingredients in a food processor or mixer for at least ten minutes.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Or proceed with your recipe
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For more about the lovely Catherine Fulvio, visit the following links
https://catherinefulvio.com/blog/
