I created this no-knead bread recipe when heavy snow was in the forecast and I decided to cook up some food ahead of time in case we lost power, as is common in the area in which I live. I had been experimenting with beer breads since the fall when I remembered my father making it when I was a child. After years of kneading and resting dough for the weekly supply, I was pleasantly surprised by the results and convenience of a no-knead recipe. When I decided to throw a batch in the oven, improvising as I went along in a rush to get my pre-storm inventory shelved, the only beer in the house was a bottle of Guinness. The dark beer, brown sugar, and whole wheat flour make this a rich and hearty finished loaf. The addition of the olive oil gives it a crispy exterior and soft middle.
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 TB. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/8 c. packed dark brown sugar
1 full bottle of Guinness Stout. Porter or any very dark German beer may be substituted.
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease a standard loaf pan.
Combine all ingredients and fold gently together. Spoon into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. The bread will be easier to slice if it is completely cooled, but tastes wonderful hot from the oven with butter.
