As a wee girl growing up in Co. Cavan, in the heart of Ireland, I knew Halloween was coming the moment the smell of Barmbrack filled the kitchen. That mix of fruits soaked in strong tea, a splash of whiskey, and warm spices drifting from the oven was as sure a sign of the season.

My childhood memories of Halloween in Ireland are a far cry from the shop-bought costumes you see kids in today. My “costume” was usually a bin bag, a bedsheet with holes cut for eyes, or a slobbery rubber mask that had already done the rounds with my two brothers — and maybe a cousin or two for good measure. But it was a magical time, probably my favourite of the whole year. It was about the small things — the smell of turf smoke cutting through the cold air, the glow of lob-sided turnip lanterns flickering in the dark, and the smell of a freshly baked Barmbrack cooling on the counter, its hidden ring waiting to be found.

Every October, households across Ireland would make this humble fruit loaf as part of the old Samhain celebrations — the ancient Celtic festival that marked the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. The Celts, Druids, and even many people today, believe that veil between the worlds of the living and those who have died is most thin at Samhain, that time when nature cycles into the darkness and period of rest before the spring and rebirth and growth. Long before Halloween became the night of pumpkins and parties, Samhain was a sacred time when people gathered to honour their ancestors, celebrate the bounty of the year, and prepare for the darker months ahead. Fruit and nuts played a central role in it all — apples, nuts, and bread symbolised abundance, while the Barmbrack carried wishes and fortunes for the year to come. 

What Is Barmbrack?

Barmbrack, or bairín breac in Irish, means “speckled loaf,” named for the raisins, currants, and sultanas scattered through it. It’s somewhere between bread and cake — tender, lightly spiced, and best served thickly sliced with butter and a good cup of tea.

But what makes it truly special is what’s baked inside. For generations, families have hidden little charms within the loaf, each one carrying meaning for the person who found it. A coin promised wealth, a rag warned of hardship, a stick foretold quarrels or travel, and a ring meant love or marriage in the year ahead.

We’d all sit around the table — cousins, neighbours, and friends — watching the loaf being sliced, squirming to high heavens in our seats, at the same time pretending not to care. When the ring finally appeared, there’d be roars, teasing, and sometimes a bit of a row (usually resolved with chocolate — the best peace offering there is). It was simple, superstitious fun — a bit of craic, as we say — but it meant something too: a way of sharing hope, luck, and sweetness as the dark winter settled in.

The Significance of Fruits and Nuts in Halloween Traditions

Long before Halloween turned into a night of sweets and costumes, it was about the harvest — and that’s where fruits and nuts came in.

As a child, I didn’t think much about it, but those apples and hazelnuts we played games with were part of something ancient and powerful. Samhain marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. People gathered the last of what the earth had given them — apples, hazelnuts, oats, and berries — and used them in feasts, games, and little rituals to welcome the darker half of the year.

Apples and Fortune-Telling
Apples were sacred in Celtic mythology, thought to connect this world and the next. On Halloween night, they were used for divination — apple bobbing, of course, but also the game where girls tossed apple peels over their shoulders to see the initials of their future love.

Nuts and Love Predictions
Hazelnuts, too, were seen as symbols of wisdom and truth. Young people would place two nuts by the fire — one for themselves, one for someone they fancied — and watch how they burned. If the two burned together quietly, it meant a happy match; if they popped apart, the romance was doomed.

Barmbrack and Hidden Fortunes
Fruits and nuts also found their way into Barmbrack, the fruit-speckled loaf that still carries charms inside. The fruit (currents, cranberries, raisins) symbolised abundance and sweetness in life; the nuts, prosperity and endurance through winter.

At its heart, Halloween was about giving thanks for nature’s cycles — for what the land had provided and for the hope of what was still to come. That connection to food, to the harvest, is exactly why I love this old tradition — and why it still feels so alive when I bake it today with all my favorite fruits from Ayoub's.

Irish Halloween Traditions

Halloween in Ireland was always a community affair. We’d hang apples from strings and try to catch them with our teeth, or dunk our faces into basins of water (full of the snot and saliva of 7 different children) for bobbing apples.  We carved crooked faces into tough old turnips — terrifying little "lanterns" that guarded the front door — and tore around the bonfires, watching our older cousins set off fireworks (usually smuggled down from the North, since you couldn’t buy them legally in the Republic).

One thing I vividly remember is that we’d always have a bag of monkey nuts — raw peanuts still in their shells — to crack open. As a child, I wasn’t mad about the taste but I loved the novelty of it. That said, you’d still be fuming if you went trick-or-treating and got a handful of them instead of a Mars bar. It was all part of the night. Funny thing is, I’ve grown into the taste now — though these days, my go-to is our Lime and Pepper peanuts.

Fruits and nuts were at the heart of it all. Apples, hazelnuts, and walnuts were gathered straight from the trees and used in games and fortune-telling. Each carried a hint of magic, a promise of the year ahead. That’s why the tradition of Barmbrack feels so fitting — a loaf filled with fruit, spice, and meaning, shared among friends and family as the fires burned low. It’s something that’s lasted for centuries, and it’s lovely to see echoes of it today — especially at Ayoub’s, where fruits and nuts still take centre stage in celebrating good food and the joy of sharing it.

Why I Love This Recipe

It’s a simple loaf, but one that carries a lot of history. The sweetness comes naturally from the fruit, the texture is soft and moist, and the scent of tea and spice fills the house. There’s no yeast or fuss — just patience, a bit of stirring, and the pleasure of baking something that connects you to a much older story.

Ingredients

• 225g plain flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 125g light brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon mixed spice (or a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice)

• 375g mixed dried fruit (I use a mix of Ayoub’s raisins, currants, cranberries and sultanas but feel free to use whatever's handy)

• 250ml cold tea (strong black tea)

• 50ml whiskey

• 1 large egg

• A ring (wrapped in parchment paper) to place inside

Method

1. Place the dried fruit in a bowl and pour over the whiskey and tea. Leave it to soak overnight so the fruit becomes plump and fragrant.

2. Preheat the oven to 170°C / 325°F (Gas Mark 3) and grease and line a 900g loaf tin.

3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and mixed spice. Make a well in the centre, add the egg, and begin mixing. Add a little of the soaking liquid as you go — you want a thick, wet dough. Stir in the soaked fruit until everything is well combined.

4. Mix in the ring, then spoon the dough into the prepared tin. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a skewer comes out clean.

5. Allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a wire rack. Wrap tightly and, if you can resist, let it sit for a day or two before slicing — the flavours deepen beautifully.

Serve in thick slices with butter and a proper cuppa.

Making It My Own with Ayoub’s

Sometimes I like to add a few extra touches — a handful of dried cherries for a tart note, or some of Ayoub’s roasted walnuts for a bit of crunch. The quality of the fruit really makes a difference here. It’s what turns a simple loaf into something truly special.

A Slice of Irish Comfort

There’s something lovely about keeping old traditions alive — baking a loaf that’s been made in Irish homes for generations, sharing it with friends, and remembering what this season is really about.

Samhain is a time of reflection, connection, and gratitude — and that’s exactly what this loaf still represents. So when you slice into your Barmbrack, take a moment to enjoy it — and who knows, maybe you’ll find the ring.

Oíche Shamhna Shona Daoibh!
Happy Halloween, everyone!