Oven: 450F, Gas Mark 8 for 15 minutes: 375F, Gas Mark 5 for 45 minutes.

Soak the fruit and candied peel in the water with the spice. Leave to steep in a warm place and use the warm spicy, strained water to mix the dough.

Sift the flour and salt and rub in the lard; cream the yeast with the sugar and a little of the spiced water; mix this into the flour, together with the eggs and use enough of the water to give a firm, yet elastic dough.

Knead well, leave to rise and knock back; blend in the drained fruit and knead again.

Shape the dough into loaves and set into greased 1 lb tins in a warm place to prove; bake, reducing the temperature after the first 15 minutes.

Originally, in some recipies, the fruit content would have been fresh currants or blackberries.

Bara Brith is often served as part of the traditional Welsh tea. It can also be purchased at many of the small bakeries found throughout Wales.

British Cookery (Bta/Bfpc)