Barnbrack

Barnbrack (also spelled Barmbrack, from the Irish báirín breac, meaning "speckled loaf") is a traditional Irish fruit bread, typically associated with Halloween. It is sweeter than soda bread but less rich than fruitcake.

The basic recipe includes flour, dried fruit (such as raisins and sultanas), mixed peel, spices (usually mixed spice), and tea. The tea is used to soak the dried fruit, giving it a plump and juicy texture. The dough is then risen using yeast and baked.

Barnbrack is traditionally served sliced and buttered. It is a popular treat throughout the year, but its association with Halloween stems from the custom of baking certain objects into the bread, each carrying a specific meaning for the person who finds it in their slice. These objects traditionally include:

• A ring: Signifies that the finder will be married within the year.
• A coin (originally a silver sixpence): Represents wealth or good fortune in the coming year.
• A piece of cloth: Meant poverty or bad luck.
• A stick: Indicated an unhappy marriage or an altercation.
• A pea: The finder would not marry that year.

While these items are still sometimes included, modern versions often only contain the ring. Eating Barnbrack remains a popular Halloween tradition in Ireland, often accompanied by fortune-telling and family gatherings.