Tea Brack Muffins
Elevenses and Afternoon Tea: The Baking Tradition
At three in the afternoon, the kitchen smells of steeping black tea, the air warms with cinnamon, and warming fruit sits on the counter. Traditional bairín breac is a dense, fruit-studded loaf, but this quicker tea brack is baked for elevenses. The secret is soaking the dried fruit in a mug of fiercely strong Barry's Tea—the raisins plump in the hot liquid and provide all the moisture the batter needs without a single drop of oil or butter. By portioning it into a standard 12-cup muffin tin, we’ve cut the agonizing bake time down to twenty-five minutes without losing the dense crumb. Serve them warm, split down the middle, and absolutely slathered in salted Kerrygold butter.
Ingredients
- mixed dried fruit1 1/2 cup
- boiling water1 cup
- strong black tea bags2 med
- Irish whiskey2 tbsp
- egg1 large
- light brown sugar1/2 cup
- all-purpose flour1 3/4 cup
- baking powder2 1/2 tsp
- Irish Mixed Spice1 1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- apricot jam1 tbsp
- hot water1 tsp
Method
- 01
Steep the black tea bags in the boiling water for five full minutes until fiercely dark and strong.
Place the tea bags in a heatproof measuring jug. When finished steeping, remove them and firmly squeeze out the excess liquid.
- 02
Pour the hot tea and whiskey over the dried fruit in a large bowl to soak.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 1 hour. If you are in a massive rush, microwave the fruit and tea mixture for 3 minutes, then let it sit for 20 minutes. Do not drain the fruit; it will absorb most of the liquid, and the remainder is needed to hydrate the batter.
- 03
Preheat the oven to 375°F and generously grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin.
Avoid paper liners, which will aggressively stick to this fat-free batter. Use butter or a non-stick cooking spray.
- 04
Add the egg and brown sugar to the cooled fruit mixture, stirring vigorously until combined.
Ensure the mixture has cooled to room temperature so the egg doesn't scramble. Leave any remaining unabsorbed tea liquid in the bowl.
- 05
Whisk the flour, baking powder, Mixed Spice, and salt in a separate bowl, then gently fold into the wet ingredients.
The batter will be quite thick and sticky. Mix only until just combined to prevent gluten development, which toughens the crumb.
- 06
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and bake on the middle rack for 22 to 27 minutes.
They are ready when domed, golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 07
Mix the apricot jam with the hot water and brush over the tops of the muffins while they are still hot.
This simple glaze provides the sticky, bakery-style sheen that is a hallmark of traditional Irish baking. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
Make your own authentic Irish Mixed Spice.
You won't easily find traditional Mixed Spice in an American grocery store, and pumpkin pie spice lacks the right punch. Mix a quick batch using pantry staples: 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, and 1/2 tsp ground ginger.
Recreate the fortune-telling tradition.
Historically baked for Halloween (Samhain), barmbrack always contained hidden charms. Wrap a thoroughly cleaned silver coin in parchment paper and hide it inside one of the muffins before baking; whoever finds it in their portion is promised wealth and good fortune in the coming year.
From Cook Irish-American Food.