Guinness Bread w/ Whiskey Cheddar

Whiskey cheddar bread

In Chicago, people take St. Patrick's Day very seriously. In honor of the Saint who banished the snakes from Ireland, we put on a giant parade, run wild in the streets, and dye the river green. As Chicagoans, we feel we need to honor this holiday, and as bread heads, we feel it is best done with a tribute of baked goods ...

This lead us to develop what is quite possibly the greatest St. Patrick's Day bread recipe ever ... it has both Irish beer and Irish whiskey in it (by way of the cheese), and it is mind bendingly delicious. The richness and color of the Guinness make the crumb a warm brown, and an earthy sweetness comes through in the aroma and the taste. By cutting the cheese into small chunks and folding it into the different layers of the bread during forming, you'll have delicious pockets of cheese dotting the interior. Making somewhat deeper score lines in the bread allows the cheese to oooze up to the surface.

This loaf is delicious, beautiful, and quite easy to make; you should be able to find all of the ingredients at your grocery store. Enjoy!

Recipe: Guinness Bread w/ Whiskey Cheddar

500g Unbleached White Bread Flour
250g Guinness Beer
125g Plain kefir (or yogurt)
10g Sea salt
2g Yeast
150 g of Kerrygold Whiskey Cheddar chopped into small pieces

 

MIX

Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly. (Not including cheese.)
Mix Guinness and kefir.
Add beer mixture to dry mixture and mix until all of the flour is saturated.
RISE Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise for 12-18 hours, depending on weather and temperature.
FORM

Turn dough out onto floured work surface.
Divide dough into two portions.
Flatten dough portions and add about half of the cheese (70g) to each loaf. To add the cheese, add pieces evenly to the dough before forming, and after first envelope fold. Form bread so that cheese is not sticking out of bottom or top of loaf, and make sure to seal bottom seam.
Allow to rise covered for at least an hour. Preheat oven to 485 while bread is resting.
When ready to bake, roll or lift the formed loaf onto the peel dusted with bran or cornmeal
Score the loaf with three deep angled slashes using a sharp knife or razor. This will allow cheese to come to surface.
BAKE Slide loaf off peel into the Fourneau and close hatch. Cook with hatch closed for 15-20 minutes.
Remove hatch and cook with hatch off for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

 

 


 


 

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1 comment

  • Amazing BREAD!!! Turned out so well. I cooked on parchment and the cheese oils leak out the bottom and become crispy. Crust has a very nice chew and crumb is moist and soft. Not too soft has a wonderful structure. Whiskey Cheddar permeates throughout the loaf. Delicious all on it’s own. Must try!!

    Jeanette on
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