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Hi friends! Since St. Patrick’s Day coming up next week, I have another St. Patrick’s Day inspired recipe for you. š
Irish tea bread. Or, as it’s called in Irish, Barmbrack!
Let me just tell you that I am obsessed!!! This is my new favorite quick, sweet bread!!!
As you may know, I studied abroad in Ireland while in college. I am in love with anything to do with Ireland, so it’s always fun for me to share Irish inspired recipes with you for St. Patrick’s Day. š§”š¤š
I never had the pleasure to experience Irish tea bread while living in Ireland, but I did learn three things. 1) Irish baked goods are delightful. 2) Irish breakfast tea is beloved, and very strong. 3) You can never go wrong with a schmear of rich Irish butter on your bread.
I came across Irish tea bread when I was watching two of my favorite Irish food you tubers: Donal Skehan, and Gemma, from Bigger Bolder Baking. Since I love anything Irish, and tea (and whiskey) I knew I must make this bread. My recipe is roughly adapted from Gemma’s recipe.
Oh, how I love discovering recipes from other countries through the world wide web!
What is Irish tea bread?
Traditionally Irish tea bread is made during Halloween. But, I couldn’t resist the opportunity that St. Patrick’s Day brings to shine a light on this wonderful Irish recipe. So, here we are, talking about an Irish Halloween tradition, for St. Patrick’s day.
Irish tea bread has 2 kinds of raisins, (golden, and regular) that have been soaked in strong black Irish breakfast tea overnight, along with some orange zest and lemon zest. This allows the fruit to soak up the tea, they get all nice and plump and juicy. The next day, they are baked right into a fluffy bread that’s perfectly sweetened with brown sugar.
The raisins are juicy, almost jelly like, and the bread is slightly sweet. Spread some rich salted Irish butter on top and man, oh man, are you in for a treat.
Seriously so good!!!
Ingredients for Irish tea bread:
The ingredients are pretty simple. True to Irish cuisine, no big fuss. Simple, yet always impressive.
The main stars are the raisins and the breakfast tea.
- Strong black breakfast tea – you can use any kind of breakfast tea you have. Irish, English, Scottish, or even Earl Gray. It just needs to be strong, and needs to be black.
- regular raisins
- golden raisins – the combo of both kinds of raisins lends a complex sweet tartness that is irresistible.
- zest of a lemon
- zest of an orange – both zests add a nice citrus undertone that goes well with the raisins and the tea.
- optional: Irish whiskey – you can omit this if you prefer. Just a little adds a hint of complexity. The alcohol bakes out, so no worries there.
- flour – I used an all purpose gluten free baking flour blend to keep this recipe gluten free, works great. However, you can easily use regular all purpose flour, or white whole wheat flour for a version with more fiber.
- Baking powder – for lift.
- kosher salt – for balance from all the sweet
- Warming spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger – compliments the raisins so well.
- dark brown sugar – just enough to give it that molasse-y sweetness
- 1 egg – for binding
- pure vanilla extract – for flavor
That’s all you need.
What’s great about this recipe is there is no oil, or butter baked into the bread. The moisture all comes from the tea (and whiskey), and yet, the bread is still tender and super moist, with a crispy edge.
You know what this means, right? You get to spread extra butter on your slice of bread!
This recipe is so stinking easy to make.
The only thing to keep in mind is that the raisins need to be soaked in the tea overnight (or for 8 hours). This is essential to this recipe because it makes the raisins all juicy, and jam-like, which is signature to Irish tea bread.
Once the overnight tea soak is done, everything else goes super quick (well, except for baking lol).
How to make Irish tea bread:
- Soak the fruit overnight in tea – Steep a strong batch of the tea and pour it over the raisins and the lemon and orange zest. Add some whiskey, if you want. Cover, and go to sleep. In the morning, see how most of the liquid is absorbed by the raisins. They get all plump. So cool!
- Brew more tea – once you’re ready to bake the bread you need to brew some more tea to add to the batter. Allow the tea to cool. Then, prepare the bread pan and pre-heat the oven.
- Mix the dry ingredients – In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients – add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and the soaked raisins, along with the liquid. Stir to combine and add some extra freshly brewed tea to the batter, along with the whiskey (if using).
- Bake – Bake the bread for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a cake tester removes clean from the center of the bread. This bread does take a while to bake due to all the moisture in the fruit.
- Cool – Allow the bread to cool in the pan for a while. Remove it and allow it to cool completely before slicing.
- Enjoy – spread it with some butter, or keep it plain, either way, you are in for a treat.
See? Easy. No stand mixer, or hand mixer needed. Just a spatula, or wooden spoon!
(Note: see the recipe card below for more thorough directions). š
How to serve Irish tea bread:
Like any other sweet bread, Irish tea bread can be served for breakfast, snack, or as a dessert.
From my research, Irish tea bread is often it is served with a cup of tea, which I highly recommend.
I really enjoy a slice of my Irish tea bread with a hot cup of breakfast tea, or Earl Gray tea, with some salted Irish butter spread on top. Paul prefers his bread without butter. To each his own.
We have eaten Irish tea bread as part of our breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or even as a dessert. Although, I tend to skip the cup of tea in the evening due to the caffeine, so, I do prefer to eat it with breakfast or with my afternoon snack.
When to make Irish tea bread:
Of course, you can make it for St. Patrick’s Day. I think it’s a great way to celebrate.
However, as I mentioned before, Irish tea bread is usually made in Ireland around Halloween. Which, I also think would be lovely. The tea, and warm spices scream fall.
Although, this recipe is simple enough to make just because, it would also be delightful served at gatherings, or served to overnight guests.
It would also make a great edible gift. I mean, who wouldn’t love to receive this beautiful loaf?
Does Irish tea bread taste like tea?
No. Not at all.
You don’t taste the tea in the bread at all. Yes, I am sure it plays a role in flavoring the tea, without it, it wouldn’t taste the same. But, you’re not biting into it and thinking of tea as you do.
So, for those of you that don’t like tea. You would still like this bread.
All you taste are juicy raisins baked into fluffy, sweet bread.
Can I skip the overnight tea soak?
NO!
As I said before, the overnight tea soak is essential to make this recipe. Without it the raisins wouldn’t be juicy and plump.
Think about it, if you bake raisins into something, they’re good, nice little bites of sweetness. But, they’re not juicy, plump pieces of fruit. That’s what the overnight tea soak does.
It’s what makes Irish tea bread so unique.
Besides, when you go to finish making the bread, the recipe is already half done!
Winning!
I hope you enjoy this Irish tea bread as much as we do. Paul has declared it one of his favorite sweet bread recipes of all times!
Don’t tell banana bread, but I think he may have forgotten about her. And trust me, banana bread has always been a favorite of his (and mine).
I mean, that’s a bold though my friends.
Do yourself a favor, make Irish tea bread, it’s a good one!
More St. Patrick’s Day inspired recipes:
- Traditional Irish stew (with beef or lamb)
- healthy fish pie
- Traditional Irish Shepard’s pie
- easy coconut Irish coffee
- Healthy shamrock shake (AKA indulgent smoothie)
- chocolate whiskey zucchini cupcakes
- Easy Irish coffee
- Irish Brown Soda bread
More baking recipes for you to love:
- healthier zucchini bread
- healthy spinach muffins with apricots and raisins
- gingerbread pear muffins
- banana sweet potato bread
- healthy pumpkin muffins
When you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment below, along with a star rating. This really helps my blog out. Plus, I love hearing from you. Thanks, for being here friends!
Print
Irish Tea Bread (AKA Barmbrack)
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 70 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 to 11 slices (1 loaf) 1x
- Category: baking, dessert, breakfast, snack
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, nut free
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Irish tea bread is a traditional recipe made in Ireland around Halloween. It is a sweet bread that has raisins soaked in black tea, making them plump and juicy. Perfect for an afternoon snack, or breakfast. So good!
Ingredients
For the overnight tea soak
- 1 cup strongly brewed breakfast tea (2 tea bags to the 1 cup water)
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons raisins
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons golden raisins
- zest of 1 lemon
- zest of 1 orange
- Optional: 1 tablespoons Irish whiskey (see notes)
Remaining ingredients
- 1/2 cup freshly brewed breakfast tea (1 tea bag for the 1/2 cup), allowed to cool completely
- 1.5 cups 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour blend (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 egg, whisked
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 tablespoon Irish whiskey
Instructions
- Soak the fruit overnight in tea: This step allows the raisins to soak up all the tea making them plump and juicy. This is an essential step for this recipe. Steep the tea for 5 minutes (or according to package directions). While the tea is steeping, add both kinds of raisins to a medium mixing bowl, along with the zest of the lemon and orange. Once the tea has steeped, remove the tea bags and add the still hot tea to the bowl. Toss everything together. Once the tea has cooled stir in the whiskey (if using). Cover the bowl and allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours (or overnight).
- Prepare: When you are ready to bake the bread, brew some more strong breakfast tea. Allow it to cool completely (I sometimes pop mine in the freezer to help seep things along). Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 inch bread pan, and line the bottom of it with parchment paper. Note: if things tend to stick easily in your bread pan then I suggest using extra parchment paper to allow for overhang, to create “handles” to easily lift out the bread once it’s baked.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Create a well in the dry ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients: Add the brown sugar, whisked egg, and vanilla. Add half of the soaked fruit, along with any of it’s liquid to the dry ingredients. Give it a mix and then add the remaining fruit and liquid. Now stir in the tablespoon of whiskey (if using) along with 1/4 cup of the fresh strongly brewed tea that is now cooled. NOTE: The batter should be thick, and very wet. It should be pourable, but not runny. Depending on how much of the tea the raisins initially soak up depends on how much of the freshly brewed tea you will need to add. Start with 1/4 cup and gradually add 1 tablespoon of tea until the consistency is just right. Keep in mind that if the batter is too runny the loaf will take up to 90 minutes to bake, and it still may have a slightly under baked center.
- Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean from the center of the bread. The top of the bread should be nicely browned, and spring back when you touch it with your finger.
- Cool: Allow the bread to cool for 30 minutes. To remove the bread run a dull knife around the edges of the bread pan and carefully turn the bread out. If you have the parchment paper handles, this makes removing the bread even easier, just lift the bread out by the “handles”. Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack.
- To serve: Once the bread has cooled completely, slice the bread and serve it with salted butter, if desired. Since there is breakfast tea baked into this bread it is often served with a fresh cup of tea as part of breakfast, or as an afternoon snack. I especially enjoy eating it with a cup of earl gray tea.
- To store: Wrap the completely cooled bread in plastic wrap, and store in a tightly sealed plastic bag for up to 4 to 5 days.
Notes
raisins: You can sub some of the raisins for currants, if you can find them. I do recommend using the combo of regular raisins, and golden raisins for flavor variety.
Tea options: You can use any strong black breakfast tea here. Irish breakfast tea, English breakfast tea, or Scottish breakfast tea would all work. Earl gray tea would work too, if you enjoy the flavor.
Whiskey: The whiskey is totally optional. You can omit it, there is enough liquid from the tea if you do. However, the whiskey does add a nice undertone of flavors that goes well with the bread. The alcohol content will bake off, only leaving you with a hint of flavor.
My go-to gluten free flour: For easy gluten free baking, I highly recommend using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour. Turns out great every time.
Non gluten free option: You can sub the all purpose gluten free flour blend for a regular all purpose flour. For a healthier option you can use half white whole wheat flour, and half regular all purpose flour.
Recipe adapted from Bigger Bolder Baking.
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