irish freckle bread

Recipe by
Vickie Parks
Renton, WA

Also called Tea Brack in some regions, Freckle Bread is a slightly sweet bread from Ireland that's commonly served for breakfast (with butter or jam) or for tea time.

yield 20 -24 (2 loaves)
prep time 30 Min
cook time 30 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For irish freckle bread

  • BREAD:
  • 1 lg
    potato, peeled and quartered (reserve some of the potato water)
  • 1 c
    dried currants (or dark raisisn)
  • 2 pkg
    active dry yeast (1/4-ounce each)
  • 2 lg
    eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 c
    granulated sugar
  • 1/2 c
    butter, melted
  • 4 1/2 c
    all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • 1/2 tsp
    mace (or nutmeg)
  • no-stick cooking spray
  • GLAZE:
  • 1/2 c
    corn syrup
  • 1/4 c
    water
  • 1/2 tsp
    vanilla extract

How To Make irish freckle bread

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray two 9x5-inch baking pans with no-stick cooking spray; set aside.
  • 2
    Cook potato in 1 cup water in a small saucepan for 15 minutes, until tender. Mash potato and measure with cooking water to make 1 cup. Stir in currants and butter. Cool to lukewarm.
  • 3
    Sprinkle yeast in 1/2 cup warm water in large bowl. Stir until yeast dissolves; stir in potato, eggs, sugar, and butter. Stir in 2 cups flour, salt, and mace until smooth. Beat in remaining 2 1/2 cups flour to make a stiff dough. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead. Let rise 1 hour.
  • 4
    Punch dough down, then divide the dough in half. Shape both halves into balls and set aside to rise 45 minutes until double in bulk.
  • 5
    After second rise, shape both halves into loaves about 9 inches in length. Place two loaves, side by side, in a prepared baking pan. Place the 2 remaining loaves, side by side, in other prepared baking pan.
  • 6
    Place both baking pans in oven, and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for a few minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge to loosen bread from pan edges. Turn loaves onto a platter to cool.
  • 7
    Thoroughly mix the corn syrup, water and vanilla. Brush the top of the bread with the glaze while the bread is cooling.

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