Want to make bread, but don’t have any yeast? Add beer. This bread comes together in less than 10 minutes, and then you simply chuck it in the oven. No need for kneading or rise times. But…. it does take an hour to bake, rather than the usual 20 minutes or so.

And just like that, Christmas has been and gone for another year. I always love the build up to Christmas, but the day itself never seems to last as long as we think it should. I’m just glad we get Boxing Day to spend the time processing, and maybe do a clear out of all the old junk before the New Year.

I’m luck enough to have another week off of school, which means I’ll be spending it doing some more cooking (obviously), as well as clearing out my own flat. I know I have a lot of clutter, and things that I haven’t used in years. So it’s about time I find new homes for them, donate them, or throw them out if they’re not useable.

You could get this bread in the oven while you’re organising out your house, if that’s what you’ll be doing too, and then treat yourself as a reward for some good old fashioned cleaning out. Or just make it and eat it because it’s delicious, no rewarding necessary.

Ingredients

330 grams plain flour
3 tbsp baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
35 grams grated sharp cheddar
50 grams chopped pickled jalapeños*
330 ml IPA
30 grams unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a loaf tin.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.
3. Add the cheddar and jalapeños. Mix through until evenly distributed.
4. Pour in the beer, and fold to incorporate. Make sure all of the flour mixture is combined with the beer. Cover the top of the batter with half of the melted butter.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Bake for an hour, removing the bread half way through baking (after 30 minutes) to drizzle with the remaining melted butter.
6. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool in the loaf tin for 10 minutes. Then carefully invert the loaf tin over a wire rack. Allow bread to cool further.
7. Bread can be enjoyed warm or cold.

*This amount of jalapeños makes a bread with quite a good kick. If you want less kick, just cut the amount of jalapeños in half.