The bread experiments continue.
Our latest recipe has been modified a bit:
- 15 ounces of flour (weighed) or 3 cups
- 1/4 teaspoon quick-acting yeast
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 bottle or can lager or pilsner beer
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- Additional water as needed until all flour is incorporated (usually no more than 1 extra tablespoon)
Mix the dry ingredients. Stir in the wet ones and cover with plastic wrap, then let rest for at least 8 hours. Knead briefly, then place the dough on parchment paper to rise for 2 hours. Shash the top before baking.
Preheat a covered dutch oven and bake the bread, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 20-30 additional minutes. We used a 425-degree preheat and 375-degree bake.
The pictures here show the dough at different points in the making process.
Variations have been good to us so far:
- Whole wheat using 5-10 ounces of whole wheat flour and the rest regular flour.
- Rye using 7 ounces of rye flour and the rest regular flour, plus 2 tablespoons of caraway seeds.
- Herb with 1 tablespoon each of dried parsley and dried garlic (chunky, not powder), 1 teaspoon each of oregano, thyme, marjoram, and white pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon of sage. My recipe also recommends adding 1/8 teaspoon of celery seed, but we didn’t have any and it still turned out great.
Beer variations we’ve tried so far:
- Corona – reigning winner
- Budweiser – good
- 5 Barrel Ale – OK, but more like regular bread
- Double Pilsner – good
- Pacifico – good, but not as good as others
The experiments will go on!