Belated Monday Eats - Beer Bread

I posted this over at the "healthy eating blog" even though, on its own, it's not exactly low cal. Still, if you're having a light supper or salad this is the perfect bread to go with it. It also freezes well, so you can make several loaves at a time, just cool completely before double wrapping to put in the freezer.

I know a number of folks who have never made a loaf of bread - preferring to pay 3 to 4 times the cost to buy a loaf in the store rather than mix, knead, wait, knead some more, wait some more homemade bread.  Now, frankly, we don't always have time, especially if you have jobs and/or young children. Certainly, in my house, the occasional Aldi loaf shows up to make sandwiches. Baking yeast bread takes time and a little practice.  THIS bread does not.  You only need six ingredients. There's no kneading, and it's pretty hard to screw it up.  Plus - it involves buying beer and you have to figure out WHAT to do with the 5 cans you DON'T use. (such a hardship :-)

Beer Bread- crusty and buttery on the outside and tender and slightly sweet on the inside, it's perfect with soups, stews, or just a light supper of grilled chicken salad.

Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C.)

Mix in large bowl:

3 cups flour (sift it or gently spoon into the cup or you will have a doorstop.  Even better weigh your flour - 3 cups flour is 12 and 3/4 ounces or 360 grams)
1 Tablespoon Baking POWDER
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar  (50 grams)
1 can beer (I used Miller Genuine Draft - as that is what my husband likes for an inexpensive beer but any beer or ale will work).  One can of American beer is 12 ounces.  If using a foreign beer measure out 12 ounces or 1 and 1/2 cups of beer.

Spoon into a bread pan sprayed with non-stick spray.  Melt 1/4 cup butter (57 grams) and pour over batter and place in preheated 375 F. (190 C.) degree oven.

Bake for about 50 minutes

Want to take your beer bread up a savory notch? Try Sharp Cheddar Beer Bread -  it reduces the sugar and adds freshly grated sharp cheddar (no, this is NOT low fat but it's high in taste and just a small slice will satisfy - (OK, who am I kidding, I can eat a quarter of this loaf by myself :-)

 Sharp Cheddar Beer Bread.

3 cups all-purpose flour (360 grams)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar (40 grams)
1/8 teaspoon (rough estimate) cracked pepper
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese - 113 grams (and seriously, use fresh, it's a big difference in taste over the packaged stuff)
1 bottle room temperature Sam Adams beer or other light ale (12 ounces)

Just before baking, top with:
1/3 cup butter (NOT margarine) melted (75 grams)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. (190 C.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add the cheese and toss to combine. Add the beer all at once, (use a big bowl as it WILL foam up for a moment)mixing until blended (the batter will be slightly lumpy).

How do you get that wonderful buttery, crunchy edge to it?

After pouring the batter into a 9″x5″ loaf pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray, (you know, to save calories :-) microwave the 1/3 cup (75 grams) butter and pour that melted gold over the top of the loaf, swirling it around in the pan so the whole top is covered.

Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until top is dark golden and a thin knife or skewer poked into the middle comes out clean (mine took 45 minutes). Cool a bit on a wire rack.

 

One final version that is GREAT with beef stew in the winter or bangers and mash with caramelized onion and Guinness Veal reduction with some stout mustard. (For the mustard mix: 2 Tablespoons Guinness, 1/4 cup each whole-grain and dijon mustard, 1/2 minced small shallot and 2 teaspoons brown sugar).

NOTE: If you are vegetarian, Field Roast Brand makes a delicious meat and soy-free apple sage sausage that will work with a veggie gravy for this dish (it does have gluten though).

(Use a Wilton 1M or 1B cake decorating tip for the fancy schmancy potatoes)

Snausages!

Guinness Beer Bread

Using my first basic beer bread at the start of this post replace the beer with 1 and 1/2 cups  (12 ounces) Guinness Stout and add 1/4 tsp. dried rosemary to the batter. Combine and bake as directed above.