It’s that time of the year again and one of the highlights is the traditional Halloween brack. If you’ve never had it, it’s a delicious fruit cake, usually with small objects hidden inside.
From the Wikipedia page on Barm Brack:
In the barmbrack were: a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth and a ring. Whovever recieved in their slice the pea, would be unmarried; the stick, would be a fighter; the cloth or rag, would be poor; and the ring, would be wed within the year.
The Halloween Brack is commonly known as “barn brack” but it’s properly called “barm brack”. I think I prefer “barn brack”.
How do you make it? It’s fairly easy, not that I’ve ever made one, but this recipe looks so simple I might be able to make it! A more descriptive recipe isn’t as simple. Hmm. Have you baked one?
Now, I’m off to have another slice! Yum!
I got the ring! I turned to Jacinta and asked her, “Will you marry me?” She took the ring, put it on her finger, looked at me and solemly said, “I’ll think about it!” before bursting out in laughter and eating her own slice of the brack. Ah yes. I love her! 🙂
9 replies on “Cup o' tea and halloween brack”
My mother always soaked the fruit in cold tea (none of that boiling hot stuff..) but other than that the simple recipe looks straightforward.
[…] It’s Halloween, that time of year that the souls of the dead rise up, goblins and monsters are abroad and witches fly about. I’ve already had my barm brack and even got the ring, but tonight is when kids go “trick or treating” looking for treats and avoiding tricks! […]
[…] Customs include leaving food out for the dead, feasting and revelry, dressing up as ghosts and monsters and divination in the form of barn bracs and bobbing for apples. Fires are lit and fireworks are set off (despite being banned in ireland if you dont have a licence). […]
on the first one I prefer barn brack too.
this is very creative, i could see how this would be fun for most people.
The stick means you ‘will beat your wife’ not be a fighter…..!
The recipe looks good, I’ll be sure to try it! Now, for some very cute Halloween bouquets, check us out!
[…] celebratory cup of Pumpkin Spice tea. But will you be taking your tea with some equally seasonal Halloween brack on the side? What is Halloween brack you ask? It is an Irish Halloween tradition: a delicious fruit […]
Fruit Cakes are the specialty of my grandmother, she bakes lots of fruit cakes.-“`