Leftover Beer Bread Loaf

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A close up of sliced leftover beer bread on a breadboard. A glass of beer behind. .

4.95 from 18 votes

This delicious traditional loaf is perfect for a ploughman's lunch. Enjoy it with a pint.

Servings: slices

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Raising1 30

Total Time2 40

Ingredients

100 g wholemeal flour
300 g strong white bread flour
1 tsp quick yeast
1 tsp salt
300 ml beer
1 tbs oil

Metric - USA Cups

Instructions

Put the flours in a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast to one side of the bowl, and the salt to the other so that they do not come into contact until you mix the dough.
Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the beer and oil. Using your hands, mix everything together until you have a rough, shaggy dough.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead for about 8–10 minutes, until smooth and pliable. When you can stretch it thin enough to see through, place the dough back in the mixing bowl and cover.
Leave the dough in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, until doubled in volume.
Butter an 8" loaf tin.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Fold it over twice, and then roll it up. Place it in the loaf tin, seam down. Cover again and return it to the warm place for approximately 45 minutes.
When the loaf has doubled in size again, and is springy to the touch but dimples when gently poked, taking a few seconds to spring back, it's ready to bake. If it springs back too quickly, leave it a little longer.
Place in the middle of a preheated oven to (180°C (Fan) /350°F (Fan) /Gas Mark 6) and bake for about 40-45 minutes.
Test after 40 minutes. Turn the bread out of the loaf tin, then tap the bottom. If it sounds hollow, it's done. If in doubt, pop it back in the oven for five minutes. You don't need to put it back in the tin for this.

Notes

Hints & Tips for Making Leftover Beer Bread

The timing of the first and second rises can depend a lot on the weather – air temperature makes a huge difference. While we suggest an hour, it can vary from 30 mins to a couple of hours, so be flexible.
With the first rise, remember that if the dough is shaped into a ball in a large bowl, an increase of 25% in each direction doubles the volume.
Try adding 50 g of grated cheese, or some mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, poppy, and linseed) up to 15% of the weight of flour.

Nutritional Information

This recipe is 4 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.