Jim's All Bran Bread

This is a proper British tea bread in the old style. All Bran cereal and mixed dried fruit get soaked overnight in strong hot tea, which softens everything into a dark, sticky mass. In the morning, you stir in flour, an egg, golden syrup, and baking powder, and that’s it.

No yeast, no kneading, no rising time. The overnight soak does the work, hydrating the bran and plumping the dried fruit so the finished loaf comes out dense, moist, and almost malt loaf-like in texture.

It actually tastes better after a day or two wrapped tightly in foil or stored in a tin. The moisture redistributes and the flavors deepen. Slice it thick and spread with real butter.

Chef Tips

• Make the tea strong. Weak tea won’t contribute enough tannin flavor to stand up against the golden syrup and dried fruit.
• Cover the bowl tightly during the overnight soak. You want the bran to absorb the tea, not evaporate it.
• Don’t overmix the batter in the morning. A few lumps are fine. Overworking develops gluten in the cake flour and toughens the crumb.

Variations

• Use treacle or dark corn syrup if you can’t find golden syrup. The flavor will be a bit more intense.
• Add a teaspoon of mixed spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice) to the flour for a spiced version.
• Try Earl Grey tea for the soak. The bergamot adds a subtle citrus note that’s lovely with the dried fruit.