Beer Bread

  I make the same mistake every day. After Tom and I watch an episode of Shameless on Netflix, I give myself an hour to watch a cooking show. Unusually I try Create, a PBS channel to which I've become attached. In the past week I watched a quick recipe for beer bread and thought I'd have to try it.

 I forget who the baker was - but it doesn't matter. Most of the recipes are ultra-simple with just a handful of ingredients. But, for future reference, I started with a popular Food.com recipe. Click here for that recipe.

 The resultant loaf is a bit dense but then it owes  any loft to the foam the beer provides and the ample application of baking powder. It isn't a yeast bread, isn't even close. It's even got a little bit of a crunch on the top and bottom due to the hour-long baking time.

 And while you wouldn't expect the recipe could be simplified - it has only six ingredients - I chose to melt the butter and add everything except the flour (beer last) while I was thoroughly mixing it. Then, when the liquid is properly mixed, add the flour. This is what you'll get:

 I had a friend tell me "that looks awful!". Well, it looks like dough to me.

 The sticky dough is pressed down to a standard loaf pan that has been lightly greased. I used an olive oil spray.

 The hour baking time at 375° was just right.

 Here's the loaf removed from the pan after about half an hour's cooling time.

 The loaf is certainly not light like a yeast bread but then it isn't meant to be. It's just a bread you can make quickly with a minimum of ingredients and work. Since there's no kneading, no rising and resting, no knocking down and rising again, it's about as easy as a bread can be.

  I tried a piece after it cooled and added a light coating of butter. It was delicious. This morning I made both Tom and I a slice but do not consider it a good choice for breakfast. Though the beer flavor is subtle, it doesn't seem best suited to early in the day. I'd like it best with soup or as  a lunch or dinner add-on. And I don't think it would be good for sandwiches. This is a stand-alone item.