Will You Make Bara Brith for St. David's Day?

The 1st of March is St. David’s Day, commemorating the patron saint of Wales. Now while most people know that St, Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland,and recognize St. George for killing a dragon, St. David remains less well-known. So who was he?

The man we now celebrate as St. David lived from 500-589 AD. He was the son of a Welsh prince and was born in Pembrokeshire but traveled widely as a missionary and eventually an archbishop. In addition to being the patron saint of Wales, he is the patron saint of doves. He is best remembered by many Welsh as a symbol of resistance against the Norman Conquest.

To celebrate the patron saint of Wales, might we recommend making a loaf or two of Bara Brith? This traditional fruit bread’s name means “speckled bread” and it is particularly good served with a smearing of creamy butter.

Bara Brith

400g sultanas or raisins

300ml strong hot tea

250g self raising flour

1 tsp mixed spice

100g brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

Soak the dried fruit in the hot tea overnight. Or, if you want to enjoy some warm Bara Brith for your supper, set it to soak first thing in the morning to bake that afternoon.

Once it is done soaking, do NOT drain. Instead, add the flour, spice, and egg, and mix well.

Preheat your oven to 180°C /Gas 4. Line a loaf tin with paper and pour in the mixture.Bake for 1 hour until the cake has risen and cooked through.