Bara Bith, sometimes known as ’speckled bread’ (the literal meaning of the original Welsh-language name), can be either a yeasty bread enriched with dried fruit or something more like a fruit cake made with self-raising flour (no yeast). It is traditionally made with raisins, currants and candied peel. In Argentina bara brith, which was brought to the country by the Welsh settlers who started arriving in Chubut province in 1865, is known as torta negra (“black cake”) and is a traditional food item there. There are many different recipes for this bread, which is baked and sold commercially in some parts of Wales. The yeast version of bara brith has a limited shelf life and is best eaten as soon as possible. The version made with self-raising flour can be kept for a long time. Welsh recipes favour soaking the dried fruit in tea overnight before the baking.
