The Lewis Pie and Pasty Company, one of the biggest pie and pasty manufacturers in the UK, has collaborated with Welsh Brew Tea to produce the traditional Welsh sweet treat bara brith.

The pie firm and Welsh Brew Tea, which produces a range of unique tea blends, have joined forces to “meet the current demand for home-grown produce” with the treat, which they hope to release in time for St David’s Day, on 1 March.

Bara brith, sometimes known as speckled bread, can be either a yeast bread enriched with dried fruit, or something more resembling a fruitcake, made with self-raising flour. It is traditionally made with raisins, currants and candied peel, and is a rich fruit loaf, often spiced, and made with tea.

Wilf Lewis, commercial director of the Lewis Pies and Pasty Company, said: "Working with Welsh Brew Tea is a partnership we are very excited about. Over recent years, there has been a move towards customers seeking more locally sourced ingredients and products.”

Welsh heritage

James Wenden, sales director at Welsh Brew Tea, said: “We are a company that is extremely proud of its Welsh heritage and all of our products are packaged bilingually.

“Our tea is the ideal ingredient to include in a product like bara brith, as not only is tea a key ingredient to the recipe, but it offers a sweet and aromatic flavour that really enhances the cake’s taste.”

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