Irish Barmbrack (Cinnamon Raisin Bread)
Ingredients
118 ml (½ cup) freshly brewed strong tea, I use 2x black tea bags
50 ml (⅕ cup) whiskey, sub with additional tea
100 g (⅔ cup) raisins
100 g (⅔ cup) sultanas
240 ml (1 cup) vegan buttermilk
75 g (2.65 oz) vegan butter
460 g (3 ⅔ cups) all-purpose flour, + additional 2 tablespoons for soaked fruit
0 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast, *see note 1
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Vegan Egg Wash (optional)
2 tablespoons soy milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions
Please read the recipe thoroughly before getting started. For the most accurate results, measure with a digital kitchen scale.
Night before or at least 1-2 hours ahead: Add the raisins and sultanas to a bowl and pour freshly brewed tea and whiskey on top. Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature overnight or for a minimum of 1-2 hours.
Drain the liquid from the soaked fruit (*see note 2). Add the fruit to a bowl with 2 tablespoons of flour and toss to combine, set aside.
Prepare ingredients and equipment: Lightly grease the base and sides of a 9-inch springform pan and line the base with a round of parchment paper.
Make a batch of vegan buttermilk. Slowly melt the vegan butter in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Be careful not to heat it, you just want to warm it enough to melt.
Make the dough: Add the melted butter to the vegan buttermilk and mix. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, spices, and salt.
Knead (stand mixer): Pour the buttermilk mixture and dry ingredients into the stand mixer bowl. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough in a stand mixer for 5 minutes. Add in the drained fruit and mix for another minute to combine.
Alternatively, knead the dough by hand: Pour the buttermilk mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and use a spatula to bring the mixture together into a shaggy dough. Knead for 5-7 minutes until it forms a smooth ball, then mix in the drained fruit. If kneading by hand, DON’T be tempted to flour the surface, the dough will be very sticky at the start but it will come together once ready. If it gets too messy, you can wash and dry your hands halfway through the process. A dough scraper is also very useful to frequently scrape up any dough that sticks to the surface.
1st proof: Clean and dry the bowl and lightly grease it with some oil. Place the dough ball into the bowl and cover the top of the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place in a warm part of your kitchen to proof for 1-2 hours until the dough has puffed up and doubled in size.
2nd proof: Punch the air out of the dough, mold the dough into a round ball (it does not need to be perfect), and then place it into the prepared cake pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, foil, or a clean tea towel, and let it proof in a warm place for another hour until it puffs up.
Bake: Preheat the oven to fan 175°C (347°F). Mix together the soy milk and maple syrup for the vegan egg wash and brush it over the top of the bread dough. Bake for 55-60 minutes until the top is golden brown. Cool slightly for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the bread from the springform pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
