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Is there anything quite so homey, so comforting, so hunger-inducing as the smell of baking bread? Anything quite so satisfying and exciting as slicing into a loaf of bread fresh out of the oven, slathering your piece with a pat of butter?
No. There’s not. This is not up for debate.
I used to make bread at home each week, opting for the homemade variety over the $2 whole-wheat loaf at the store. But then I realized that this little homemaker adventure took hours upon hours, hours I simply don’t have anymore, with my design and photography business taking up so much more of my time!
But remember, there’s still nothing quite so enjoyable as freshly baked bread in general, so enter.. the whole wheat beer bread.
Start to finish, this bread took me less than an hour, and 40 minutes of that is baking time. The loaf is high enough and not so dense, making it an excellent sandwich bread. You’ll love this whole wheat beer bread because it’s..
– simple
– satisfying
– yeasty
– quick
– flavorful
– versatile
I use white whole wheat flour in conjunction with whole wheat pastry flour, to prevent a toothy, overtly “whole wheaty” taste that can be oh so.. unpleasant. I love these two flours and use them frequently, so they’re a great staple to have in the pantry if you’re into whole foods!
Whole Wheat Beer Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 4 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
- 12 oz One 12-oz can or bottle of beer - the beer will impart a little flavor on the bread , so get creative!
- 3 tablespoons butter or Earth Balance (vegan butter), melted
- 1 tbsp oats , optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Lightly grease a loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine both flours, baking powder, and salt. Sift well with whisk, then pour in beer and agave nectar/honey, and stir until a stiff batter is formed. Don’t over-mix!
- Spoon dough into prepared loaf pan and smooth top with back of spoon. Sprinkle oats on top of loaf, if desired. Melt butter or Earth Balance and brush across top of dough, dotting over the oats. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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what beers would you recommend?
I’d go with something that has plenty of flavor but isn’t overwhelmingly hoppy or fruity. A summer ale or even American Pale Ale would be delicious!
Beautiful texture! I never tried this combination but I think I am convinced!
Thanks Valentina! It’s quite tasty 🙂
This recipe is amazing! I just baked it with a nut brown ale and it is so delicious! You don’t by any chance have the nutritional information?
Oooh, that sounds so good! Unfortunately I don’t have the nutritional info, but you could plug in the ingredients you used to this calculator: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp
Is there anything else that I could use to replace the beer I. This recipe??
I don’t think you could replace the beer in this recipe. It provides many elements that are necessary for the recipe to work, like yeast, for one. I would just recommend a more traditional leavened whole wheat bread in that case!
Do you have to use the pastry flour? What happens if you don’t ?
Pastry flour simply has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, which I find lightens whole wheat recipes a bit. Nothing will “happen” if you use AP flour, and I’m sure it will be delicious, just maybe a little tiny bit heavier! Let me know what you think 🙂
Bread AND beer?? Yes Please!
Right?! Basically the two greatest things on earth. Top with butter and it’s almost like too much to handle!
Yup. Homemade bread. I NEED THIS.
I recently made gluten free beer bread for the first time and your right, the smell of homemade bread is amazing! So comforting! I love your photos, that “mood lighting” is awesome!