Barmbrack is a traditional fruit bread associated with Halloween for centuries.

I recall with delight as a child getting a coin in my slice of brack or even a ring. Each item had a special meaning,- a stick meant you would not marry, a piece of cloth meant poverty, a coin would mean riches and a ring meant marriage within the year!

It was truly a game of fortune and a ritual in Irish homes for generations. Many bakeries excelled in the Barmbrack delights, particularly Hickeys in Clonmel where their famous brack has been made since 1900 .

Therefore, you can imagine my dismay, when a Client of ours asked if they could bake a traditional Brack this year. They wish to mix the fortunes with the dried fruit mix, as before.

Our advice, is to wrap the “charms” in bright coloured foil paper, ideally blue in colour as no food is naturally blue!

Please indicate clearly on the label that the Brack contains charm pieces and not suited to very young children. Tell the story of Halloween too!