What drink is worth pairing with a piece of warm and soft bread? Most of you will answer milk, while the rest will answer coffee or tea. So what about beer? You will probably frown, considering that beer is not a type of drink that is commonly used as a companion to eat bread by Indonesian people. But what if the two are combined into a delicious snack? Mixing beer into bread dough is no stranger to European society. The process is very easy and fast because beer already contains natural yeast which makes the bread dough not need to be kneaded or left to rise. Delicious beer bread can be eaten straight or dipped in cheese sauce or soup. Interested in making it? Read on for more on the basic process of making beer bread and some different ideas that can enhance the taste of your beer bread!
Step
Method 1 of 2: Making Simple Beer Bread
Step 1. Prepare the necessary materials
To make beer bread, you just need to prepare flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and a bottle of beer. Besides beer, chances are that these ingredients are already in your kitchen, right? Beer of any brand you can use. Choose a beer with a low alcohol content if you're not used to drinking beer or don't like the taste. Conversely, if you want a more kicking taste and aroma, use dark beer with a stronger taste. For a healthier version, you can replace the use of wheat flour with whole wheat flour. Ingredients you'll need to make simple beer buns:
- 305 gr wheat flour or wheat flour
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp. baking powder
- tsp. salt
- 1-2 tsp. dried green herbs (dried spices such as basil, parsley, or oregano), use according to taste.
- 300 ml beer
Step 2. Combine dry ingredients like flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl
If you like, you can add a pinch of dried herbs such as oregano, basil, or parsley to enhance the taste and aroma of your bread.
Stir in the dry ingredients mixture, set aside
Step 3. Pour the beer into the dry ingredients mixture
Once the dry ingredients are well mixed, slowly pour in the beer so the foam doesn't overflow. Use one hand to pour the beer and the other to knead the dough.
A warm beer or a cold beer will work equally well in this recipe
Step 4. Stir until all ingredients are well blended and flour does not clump
Keep stirring until a smooth and thick mixture is formed.
The dough formed is thick and not as runny as pancake batter
Step 5. Pour the mixture into a baking sheet that has been smeared with a little butter or oil
Use a spoon to flatten the surface of the dough.
You can use olive oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil, or whatever oil is available in your kitchen
Step 6. Bake the dough at 176°C for 40-50 minutes
During the baking process, occasionally you need to check the condition of the dough. Make sure all sides of the dough receive enough heat to cook evenly.
Pierce the dough with a toothpick or small knife to check for doneness. The bread is perfectly cooked when the surface is golden brown and there is no dough sticking to it when you pull out the toothpick
Method 2 of 2: Beer Bread Variations
Step 1. Get creative with different types and brands of beer
Basically, any type of beer will leave a subtle trail of yeast in the bread. Try different types and brands of beer, then decide which one comes closest to your taste. If you are lazy to be creative, just use your favorite beer or whatever beer is available in your refrigerator.
- For those of you who are not used to drinking beer, try using Pilsner beer which is relatively light and low in alcohol. Besides being cheap and easy to find, this type of beer won't leave a trail of overly sharp flavors in the bread. One of the pilsner beer variants sold in Indonesia is under the Bintang brand.
- In addition to pilsner, wheat beer is also suitable for use in this recipe. Stark Beer is a wheat beer variant that was first introduced in Indonesia.
- Dark beers such as ale or stout are types of beer with a sharper taste and higher alcohol content. In addition to making your bread darker, this type of beer also leaves a sweet, nutty trail that is very delicious.
- You don't drink alcohol? Do not worry. The high-temperature roasting process evaporates all of the alcohol and leaves only the wheat, sugar, and yeast flavors of the beer behind. Want to serve beer bread for your kids? Now you don't have to hesitate anymore!
Step 2. Add grated cheese to the dough
Beer, cheese and warm bread? Sounds tempting! Any type of cheese will taste just as delicious in this recipe. Be creative and adjust the dose to your taste. Some of these types of cheese are suitable for mixing into the dough and you can easily find them at the nearest supermarket:
- Cheddar
- Blue cheese
- Gouda cheese
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- edam cheese
Step 3. Add chopped vegetables to the mixture
To add texture to the bread, add your favorite chopped greens. Some of these vegetables are worth trying:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Chopped green chili
- Grated carrots
- Grated cucumber
- Minced Peppers
Step 4. Sprinkle the grains on the surface of the dough
Before baking, grease the surface of the bread with butter and then sprinkle with seeds such as:
- Poppy seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Mustard seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Roasted cardamom and cumin seeds
Step 5. Toast the bread in the pan
Don't have a bread pan? Don't worry, you can replace it with Teflon. Preheat the oven as usual. When the oven is half hot, add the Teflon which has been greased with butter or oil. Once the oven is completely hot, pour the batter into the Teflon and bake the dough for 20-30 minutes. This will create a crunchy, crunchy texture on the bread even if you bake it in a skillet.
Tips
- For a much easier version of beer bread, you only need to prepare 330 g of flour, 3 tbsp. sugar, and 300 ml of beer. Just use these three ingredients, follow the steps listed above, and voila! Warm, delicious and very easy to make beer buns are right there in front of you!
- Try to be creative with various spices.
- Add chopped onions or garlic to enhance the flavor of your bread.
- Use cold beer for maximum results.
- Delicious beer bread eaten with butter, cheese sauce, or a variety of hot soups.
