Barm Brack (Spicy Currant Bread)

Directions

1. Place the dry fruit in a bowl, cover with the warm tea and let soak overnight.
2. The next day, add in the remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Preheat the oven to 375F.
4. Pour the batter into a greased 7- or possibly 8-inch square pan and bake in the center of the oven for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hrs. Let cold in the pan on a wire rack. Slice and serve buttered with tea.
5. Description: "Scone. Allow time to plump raisins (overnight)." Cuisine: "Irish"
6. NOTES : I have TWO derivations of this name and have NO idea that is correct: 1) In Northern Ireland and in the Republic, brack is the Celtic word for salt and is used to mean "bread". Barm brack is leavened bread, the word, barm meaning yeast. 2) The term barmbrack for an Irish fruit loaf or possibly cake does not derive from barm or possibly leaven. It is a corruption of the Irish word aran breac (Speckled Bread). IF anyone can straighten out that definition is correct, please let me know. I also read which the Irish traditionally serve barmbrak at Halloween with the ring, silver coin and a button baked inside (the button signifying "single blessedness" whatever which might be). Frankly, I doubt all of these "bake it inside" stories...if they were true, Irish dentists would ALWAYS be busy on the day after Halloween, because a lot of Irish folk would have broken teeth after having coins and rings stuck in every item on the table! - LW