Description
This Vegan Irish Barmbrack is a traditional fruit loaf infused with warm spices and soaked dried fruits, perfect for any festive occasion or teatime treat. Made without any animal products, it features soaked raisins and sultanas in strong brewed tea and whiskey (optional), mixed into a vegan buttermilk dough. The bread is gently proofed twice and baked to a golden brown crust, offering a moist, flavorful loaf that can be enjoyed toasted or fresh.
Ingredients
Scale
Soaked Fruit
- 118 ml freshly brewed strong tea (made with 2 black tea bags)
- 50 ml whiskey (optional, substitute with additional tea if preferred)
- 100 g raisins
- 100 g sultanas
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for tossing soaked fruit)
Dough
- 240 ml vegan buttermilk (made from plant-based milk and acidic ingredient like lemon juice or vinegar)
- 75 g vegan butter, melted
- 460 g all-purpose flour
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Topping
- 2 tablespoons soy milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Prepare soaked fruit: The night before or at least 1-2 hours prior to baking, combine the raisins and sultanas in a bowl. Pour the freshly brewed strong tea and whiskey over the fruit, then cover and set aside at room temperature to soak. After soaking, drain the liquid thoroughly and toss the fruit with 2 tablespoons of flour. Set aside.
- Prepare pan and ingredients: Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and line its base with parchment paper. Prepare the vegan buttermilk (using plant milk with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar). Gently melt the vegan butter either on a stove over low heat or briefly in the microwave to just soften it.
- Mix the dough: Combine the melted vegan butter with the vegan buttermilk. In a separate large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, instant yeast, sea salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients. Use a stand mixer with a dough hook to knead the dough for 5 minutes, then add the soaked fruit and mix for an additional minute. Alternatively, knead the dough by hand, bringing ingredients together into a shaggy dough and continue kneading 5-7 minutes until smooth, add soaked fruit last. The dough will be sticky at first but will form together as you knead.
- First proof: Clean and lightly grease a large bowl. Place the dough ball into the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm spot for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Second proof: Knock back the risen dough, shape into a rough round, and place into the prepared springform pan. Cover with plastic wrap, foil, or a tea towel and let proof again in a warm area for about 1 hour until puffed.
- Preheat and prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 175°C fan (347°F). Mix together the soy milk and maple syrup to create a vegan egg wash and brush it gently over the top of the dough.
- Bake: Bake the bread for 55-60 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- Cool and serve: Carefully remove the loaf from the springform pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve slices as is or toasted with vegan butter and a drizzle of maple syrup or vegan honey.
- Storage: Store the loaf wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to one month.
Notes
- Instant yeast works best for this recipe as it does not require proofing before use, speeding up preparation.
- Soaking the dried fruit in tea and whiskey enhances depth of flavor and tenderizes the fruit for a moist loaf.
- Do not add extra flour while kneading even if dough feels sticky; it will become less sticky as you knead.
- For vegan buttermilk, mix plant-based milk like soy or oat milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- If you prefer, omit whiskey and replace with equal amount of tea for a non-alcoholic version.
- Use a dough scraper to help handle sticky dough and keep your hands clean.
