Beer Bread

Probably my all-time favorite comfort food is beer bread. Can we say yummy?

Lots of companies sell beer bread mixes that are SO EASY to make. Just mix in a can or bottle of beer and melt some butter on top, pop it in the oven and you're done! Right? Yes. That is easy. But it's also expensive.

My beer bread is SO easy to make you'll start to wonder why you've been buying those high priced mixes at the grocery store.

Here's the recipe. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
3 cups self-rising flour **
2-3 Tablespoons of sugar (I don't like sweet beer bread)
12oz can or bottle of beer (or other carbonated beverage)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of butter, melted

** If you're using all purpose flour, use 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt.


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. SIFT YOUR FLOUR! This really is a necessity unless you want your bread to come out really heavy and brick-like. ALWAYS sift your flour. You'll notice I had mine in a sifter. My sifter has a measuring cup that catches the flour underneath and measures it for you. Measure your flour AFTER you sift.

3. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and give it a little stir to disperse the sugar.

4. Add your beer. It will foam up (due to the baking powder and salt). Now, you can use soda, but I really think beer brings out a yeast-y flavor in this bread. I'm not overly fond of the use of soda in this bread, but others are. Play around with it and see what works for you.


5. Stir well, but do not over-mix. Dough will be elastic-y.


6. Prepare your loaf pan (regular 9x5 pan) by either spraying with non-stick spray or do as I do and put a teaspoon or so of olive oil in the bottom and brush it over the bottom and sides of the pan with a basting brush. I like this method because it adds a little of that olive oil flavor on the crust.


7. Pour your melted butter over the top of your bread. Yum. You can leave this part out, but come on....who wants to do that? It gives you a nice crispy crunchy top to your loaf.





8. Bake at 350° for about 55-60 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and cool 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

I guarantee this will be as delicious as any store bought mix you've ever had. And just as easy! Enjoy!