BARMBRACK
Báirín Breac
A cakey fruit bread that once celebrated Samhain, an ancient Celtic harvest celebration. A tradition is to add a dried bean, a small square of cloth, a coin, and a ring to the cake mix. (Each item wrapped in a piece of parchment.) If you find a bean in your slice, the omen is spinsterhood. Cloth: lean times ahead. Coin: wealth. Ring: a promise of marriage.
Ingredients
2 cups black tea, made with two teabags, cooled
2 cups raisins, sultanas, cranberries, mixed peel, whatever dried fruit’s on hand
2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons butter
1⁄4 cup whole milk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup honey, warmed
2 fl. ounces whiskey (optional)
Instructions
Soak dried fruit in the tea for 2 hours, and then drain and set aside.
Heat oven to 325° fah.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl.
Work in the butter and crumb with fingers.
Whisk egg with milk, pour into the bowl, add soaked fruit, and stir until a wet dough forms. Put dough into a greased 8" cake pan and bake until firm, for around 50 minutes, depending on oven.
Brush with honey then bake 2 minutes more.
Pour whiskey over cake, allow to cool, and serve slices with a slather of butter.
STEAK & GUINNESS PIE
PIE DISH: 11x9in pie dish 1¾in deep
Base & Lid:
12oz ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, for the base
2oz ready-rolled puff pastry, for the lid
Four for dusting
1 egg, beaten, to glaze.
Filling:
3–4 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling if needed
2lb rump steak, cut into bite-sized chunks.
2 large brown onions, finely chopped.
2 large celery sticks, finely chopped.
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped.
3 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
300ml chicken stock
500ml Guinness
5½oz button mushrooms, kept whole.
2 large carrots, cut into chunks.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pastry base, check the shortcrust pastry sheet is large enough to line the base of your pie dish. If necessary, roll it out a little more on a lightly floured surface. Carefully transfer the pastry and line the base and sides of the pie dish, leaving a small overhang at the top (which will be used to seal the lid). Place in the fridge until ready to use.
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Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
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For the pie filling, heat the oil in a large ovenproof casserole over a high heat. Season the beef and sear the steak in batches, until evenly browned. Transfer to a plate or bowl. Reduce the heat and add a drizzle more oil if necessary. Soften the onions, celery and garlic in the same pan for around 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the beef and any meat juices back to the pan and stir in the flour until incorporated. Add the thyme, bay leaves and stock.
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Pour in the Guinness and add the mushrooms and carrots. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Transfer to the oven and cook for 2–2½ hours until the beef is tender. Remove from the oven.
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Taste the pie filling to check the seasoning. Discard the bay leaves and any thyme twigs. Set aside to cool (if you are short of time, spread out the filling on a large baking tray to help it cool faster) – it should be cold enough to avoid melting the fat in the pastry. Once cool, use a slotted spoon transfer the filling into the pastry-lined pie dish and add enough sauce to just cover. Pass any leftover sauce through a sieve and set aside to use as gravy to serve alongside the pie.
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Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7 and preheat a large baking tray.
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For the pastry lid, brush a little beaten egg around the lip of the shortcrust pastry and place the puff pastry on top. Press together to seal, trim the excess and use a fork to crimp the edges. Cut a small cross in the center of the pastry lid to allow steam to escape. Use any pastry trimmings to make decorations and use a little beaten egg or water to secure them to the pie. Brush the top of the pie with the remaining egg.
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Place the pie on the preheated baking tray and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden.