What I love most about this recipe is how well the contrasting flavors work together. The beer adds a natural fizz to the bread, which keeps it really light and airy while it bakes. The hoppy taste from the beer gives it a nice sour punch, which is complemented by the melted sharp cheddar cheese. The secret to this recipe is the melted butter. Adding it in two stages gives the bread a crispy, chewy crust that is to die for. If no one was around I would have cut the whole crust away and devoured it. I’m a sucker for homemade bread, and this easy variation tastes like you’ve put hours of work into it.
Beer & Cheese Bread
Makes: one loaf
Prep Time: 15 minutes Baking Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbs olive oil
½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
3 cups (13.5 oz) all-purpose flour
3 tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup (4 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 (12 oz) bottle lager-style beer (I used Hoegaarden)
2 tbs melted butter, divided
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the onions are caramelized. Add a bit of freshly cracked pepper and remove from the heat.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine and make a well in the center. Add the onions, cheese and beer to the flour, stirring until just combined. The dough will be sticky.
- Scoop the batter into a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan that is coated with cooking spray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the melted butter on top of the batter. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake for another 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the center is baked through.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan onto a wire rack and cool completely. Slice and serve with butter.