Barmbrack and Halloween food in Ireland

Barmbrack is a sweet, fruited loaf, often called a brack, and it is the bread most linked with Halloween in Ireland. It is made with dried fruit, tea or whiskey to soak the fruit, and sometimes spice, and it is sliced and eaten with butter. If you are looking for Halloween food in Ireland, this is the loaf to ask for.

What is in a brack

A brack is made from flour, dried fruit such as sultanas and raisins, sugar, egg and a liquid such as cold tea, which the fruit is soaked in overnight. Some recipes use yeast, others use baking powder. Spices such as mixed spice are common. Some bakers add peel or cherries.

The result is a dense, moist loaf, a little sweet, with the fruit spread through it. It is good fresh and also keeps for a few days.

Yeasted or unyeasted

A yeasted brack is lighter and more bread-like. A baking powder brack is denser and more like a cake. Neither is wrong. If you want a loaf to toast and butter, a yeasted one works well. If you want a cake-like slice for tea, choose the denser kind.

What to look for in a loaf

A good brack has a glossy, golden-brown top. The slice is moist, with fruit evenly spread rather than sunk to the bottom. The flavour is of fruit and tea, with a touch of spice. If it is dry, crumbly or tastes only of sugar, it is a poor one.

How to eat it

Slice and spread with butter. Many people toast it. It goes well with a pot of tea. At Halloween, a brack sometimes has small objects baked in, as a game, so ask before you bite on one. If a place does this, they should tell you and warn about the risk to teeth and to small children.

Allergens to ask about

Barmbrack contains wheat, egg and dried fruit, and sometimes nuts or alcohol. If you have an allergy, ask the bakery for the ingredients. Do not assume that a plain-looking loaf is simple.

Other foods linked with Halloween

Colcannon, the mashed potato with cabbage or kale, is a dish people associate with the season. Toffee apples, monkey nuts, sweets and apple tarts are commonly mentioned too. Our guide to boxty and colcannon explains the potato dishes.

Not every place serves seasonal food, and it varies by kitchen. If you are looking for it, ask what is on and check the opening hours.

Making your own

A brack is a forgiving bake for a home cook. Soak the fruit in strong cold tea overnight so that it plumps, mix it into a simple batter and bake slowly until a skewer comes out clean. It is a good project for a wet afternoon, and the house smells of spice while it bakes. If you would rather buy, the notes above tell you what to look for.

Where to find a brack

Bakeries, cafes and many shops sell them in the weeks around Halloween, and some all year. Because they are popular, they sell out. Order ahead if you can.

How to serve a brack

Slice it fairly thick and butter it generously. If it is a day or two old, toast it. A cup of strong tea is the usual companion, and a slice of mature cheese is a pairing some people swear by. If you are serving it to a group, cut it at the table and warn anyone who might bite on something hard. If the loaf has been made with something baked inside, tell the children first, and make sure nobody swallows a small object.

Halloween eating beyond the loaf

For a Halloween meal at home or out, think in terms of comfort. Warm dishes made from potato, cabbage, apple and root vegetables suit the weather and the occasion. If you are eating out, look for places that mark the season on their menu, and ask what the kitchen is serving. Ask early, because seasonal specials often sell out.

Finding one on Mosey

Look for bakeries and cafes with recent photographs of their bread and bakes. A page that shows a sliced loaf lets you see the crumb and the fruit before you go.