Barmbrack (Irish Tea-Soaked Fruit Loaf)

• 6 g Dried black tea
• 300 ml Water
• 250 g Sultana
• 150 ml Whole milk
• 60 g Unsalted butter
• 1 Egg
• 450 g Plain flour
• 60 g Caster sugar
• 1 tsp Fine sea salt
• 1 ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp Ground nutmeg
• 7 g Instant yeast

1. Put the tea in a saucepan with the water and bring just to the boil, then take off the heat and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Strain into a bowl, add the sultanas, and leave to soak until plump and cool, about 60 minutes. Drain well, reserving 60 ml of the soaking tea to add to the dough if needed.
2. Warm the milk in the saucepan until just lukewarm, then add the butter and let it melt off the heat. Beat in the egg until combined, then leave the mixture to cool to lukewarm so it does not overheat the yeast.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, caster sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and yeast. Make a well, pour in the milk mixture, and mix to a soft dough; add a splash of the reserved tea only if the dough feels dry. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. Knead the drained sultanas into the dough until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 60 to 75 minutes.
5. Grease a loaf pan with a little butter. Tip the dough onto the work surface, press out any large air pockets, then shape into a neat loaf and place in the tin. Cover and prove until the dough crowns about 2 cm above the rim, 35 to 45 minutes.
6. Heat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until deep golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped; if it colours too quickly, loosely cover the top with foil. Turn out and cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

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