Tea Brack is a sort of cross between cake and a quick bread which by tradition is made and eaten at Halloween. It is very moist and delicious and will stay fresh for several days. Traditionally small items are mixed into the Tea Brack before it is baked, each with a message or prediction for the person who gets it in a slice. The items always include a ring, which predicts a wedding within the year, although any or all of the following are sometimes included, a coin for wealth, a small piece of cloth for poverty, a pea for plenty, a thimble for a spinster, a button for a bachelor or a matchstick to beat your husband/wife and if you are using any of these items, wrap them well in greaseproof paper before adding them to the mix.
350 ml black tea
90 g brown sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
350 g raisins and sultanas
1 egg
270 g plain flour
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method
Place the tea, sugar, lemon zest and dried fruit in a bowl, blend and leave covered overnight. Preheat oven to 175ºC and grease the loaf tin. Beat the egg in a bowl and mix it thoroughly with the fruit. Sieve the flour, spices and bread soda together and stir well into the fruit mixture. At this point you can add and mix in any of the charms you want to use or place the items in the batter when it is in the tin. The last method ensures they are fairly distributed and it is especially important if children will be eating the Brack. Turn the batter into the tin and place in the middle lower part of the oven. Bake for approx 60 minutes and allow cooling for approx. 20 minutes before turning it out of the tin Allow cooling on a wire rack until totally cold
Note: A deep 21 cm round cake tin is more conventional but I used a 1 kg rectangle cake tin.
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