Beer Bread

Beer bread is one of my favorites.  It’s really tasty (and no you can’t taste the beer – I don’t even like beer!) and it’s so easy to make.  In fact, you only need 2 ingredients!

This bread is delicious as is but it’s also really tasty with your favourite herbs added to it.   It also makes a nice gift as you can package up all the dry ingredients including herbs and all the recipient will need to add is the beer to make it.

Try serving beer bread with this scrumptious Pumpkin Curry Soup. It’s the perfect combination for a simple but tasty meal on a chilly fall or winter night.

Beer Bread

Makes: 1 loaf (about 10 slices)

Prep time: 2 minutes

Baking time: 55 minutes

Store well wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cups self-rising flour (sifted!..It’s a MUST that it is sifted for this bread or you may end up with a brick instead of a loaf of bread) ***Note: make sure this isn’t self-rising cake flour. Check ingredients below that need to be added if you’re using regular white flour.

12 oz. beer (do not open until ready to make the bread) ***Can be cold or room temperature.

NOTE: If you are using regular white flour and not self-rising flour, you will need to add 3 tsp. baking powder and 1 tsp. salt.

1/4 – 1/2 cup melted butter (optional)

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Stir together all ingredients except the melted butter until just mixed. I like to use a rubber spatula for this.

Pour this into a greased loaf pan and if using the melted butter, pour the butter over the top of the bread dough (this adds an additional golden brown appearance and of course, a lovely buttery taste to the loaf). 

Bake for 50-55 minutes. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing. A serrated bread knife is best.

Note:  using non-alcoholic beer defeats the purpose of this bread.  You need the yeast present in the regular beer in order to prevent the need for kneading and allowing the bread to rise.