Ale and cheese bread

ByRasa Pelham
Bowl of flour and yeast mixture next to a glass of ale, preparing for bread making.

Having previously made steak and ale pies (see previous post), I had some ale left. I have decided to make bread with that leftover! The cool thing is when you know bread baking basic, you can customise your recipe as much as you want. I added some cheese together with that ale leftover to mine! The outcome? Strong flavour bread, tasting like “Marmite”! You either love it or hate it ;-).


ALE AND CHEESE BREAD

  • 150g wholemeal flour
  • 350g white bread flour
  • 7g fast acting dry yeast
  • 10g fine salt
  • 300ml ale (warmed in the bath of hot water)
  • 50g (or more) cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 tbsp melted butter (1 tbsp extra for handling the dough)

1. Measure all the dry ingredients in the bowl and pour the ale over it. It should be bubbly as in the picture bellow :-).

A glass bowl filled with bubbly ale and flour mixture, showcasing the initial stage of bread preparation.

2. Add cheese + butter and mix everything well. Give good 10min kneading, this works well as a workout!

3. Shape the dough into the round. I rub my hands into the fat (butter in this case) so the dough does not stick to my fingers while handling it.

A ball of dough made with wholemeal and white bread flour, sitting on a wooden surface next to a clear glass bowl and a glass of warm ale.

4. Place the dough round back into the clean bowl. Cover it with cling film and let it rise in warmth for 1-1.5 hours. The dough should double (if not triple) in size.

A round ball of dough resting in a glass bowl, showing a slightly textured surface.
A bowl covered with plastic wrap containing risen dough for ale and cheese bread.
A large glass bowl filled with risen dough, showing a light brown surface and bubbles from fermentation.

5. Deflate the dough and let it rise again for another 30min or so. I use proving basket at this stage.

A hand pressing into risen dough in a glass bowl, demonstrating the texture and elasticity of the bread mixture.
A round ball of dough resting in a proving basket, ready for the next step in the bread-making process.
A round ball of dough in a bowl, showing a light brown color and a slightly textured surface, ready for rising.

6. Cross slash the top of the bread. This is my first time doing it too! This really helped to produce more civilised looking bread as it did not crack wherever it wanted when rising in oven :-D. Bake in preheated 200C oven for 45min.

A hand holding a knife poised to cut a round loaf of bread, which has scored lines on top, resting on parchment paper.
A freshly baked round loaf of ale and cheese bread with a cross slash on top, resting on a cooling rack.
A sliced round loaf of ale and cheese bread displayed on a wooden cutting board.
A slice of bread topped with raspberry jam on a light blue plate, with a textured towel beside it.

Now, I will tell you little secret. I know this might sound odd, but I did enjoy this bread best as a toast with some raspberry jam… can’t get enough of it!

Rasa xoxo

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