Food of the gods

I like Wales, it's hilly, I got married there, my wedding ring is made from Welsh gold (like Royalty don't you know) and I spend a lot of time there. It's also the place where I ride my bike the most. I like it because it reminds me of the Yorkshire and where I grew up at the foot of the Dales.

Now I've heard it argued that Flapjack is the ultimate riding food but I'm afraid the people who band this opinion around tend to be misguided at best or just plain wrong. Flapjack, it's just too dry, too heavy to be a great cycling food.

Jelly Babies are brilliant but I like home made stuff that doesn't contain ingredients banned in New Zealand.

There is one food out there that will power you past the bonk. Cover it in butter (as you're meant to) and I reckon you've got all you main food groups in one slice. It's got everything in it. Complex Carbs, Simple Sugars, Fruit, Dairy, Saturated Fats and best of all it includes an in built Cup of Tea.

It's also dead easy to make, even men can do it it's all based around cups. (Use a Alpkit 450ml Titanium cup for extra style)

So prised from the mother in law* and updated a touch here's the recipe for Bara Brith (with added Yorkshire).

*It should be noted this is not the dry bread 'real' Bara Brith type stuff peddled by shops, it's secret familly recipe that is much better.

Here's the recipe – Welsh (Yorkshire) Bara Brith.

Ingredients
• 1 cup sultanas ('real' bara brith uses mixed fruit)
• 1 cup boiling water
• Butter 1/5 to 1/4 of a normal block
• 1 teabag (Use Yorkshire tea - 1 bag makes 2 cups so makes the taste stronger or if your a heathen just use 2 PG Tips or other crap teabags and ruin it)
• 2 cups of self raising flour
• 1 cup soft brown sugar (real bara brith uses dark brown sugar)
• 1 egg

Method
• Put the sultanas, butter and teabag in a bowl and pour on the boiling water. Leave till cool (or at least luke-warm)
• Put the flour in a separate bowl, add the sugar and egg and stir well. It will be very floury. Add the liquid from the fruit mix bit by bit, mixing in until it is a wet mixture.
• Add the fruit (remove the teabag). Mix round and put into a lined loaf tin.
• Bake for 45 mins at gas mark 4 (or slightly under) then 45 mins at gas mark 3 (or slightly under). I like mine just about cooked but still very soft so it makes a gooey loaf rather than a dry one so I tend to undercook slightly. Stick a skewer in and if there is still wet cake mixture on it cook for a bit longer - if it's just about coming up dry then it's fine.
• Leave to stand, cut and spread with lots of butter.