Beer and Cheese Bread in a Crock

Serves	1 x large cob/boule style loaf of bread
Prep time	2 hours, 30 minutes
Cook time	30 minutes
Total time	3 hours
Allergy	Wheat
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Bread, Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
Misc	Child Friendly, Freezable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot
Occasion	Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving
Region	British
By author	Karen Burns-Booth

Beer and Cheese Bread in a Crock - Delicious "no knead" artisan style bread made in a cast iron crock, using a fabulous unfiltered rye IPA & Vintage Cheddar.

Ingredients

350mls tepid water
1 x 7g sachet dried fast action yeast (or 25g fresh yeast, added to a little warm water with 1 teaspoon honey or sugar)
1 teaspoon sea salt (such a Malden)
300mls Longhorn unfiltered rye IPA (or IPA or beer of your choice, NOT a dark beer)
500g strong white bread flour
150g grated vintage Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon pinhead (coarse) oatmeal

Note

Beer and Cheese Bread in a Crock - Delicious "no knead" artisan style bread made in a cast iron crock, using a fabulous unfiltered rye IPA & Vintage Cheddar; the recipe is based on my ever popular "Our Daily Bread in a Crock – Weekly Make and Bake Rustic Bread".

Directions

Step 1	Pour the water into a large mixing bowl – the water should be tepid or hand warm – NOT too hot, as it will kill the yeast. Add the yeast to the water and then the salt, mix well. Then add the beer and mix well again.
Step 2	Add the flour and grated cheese, and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or a dough hook until all the ingredients are amalgamated – NO need to over knead.
Step 3	Leave the bread dough in the mixing bowl and cover loosely – I use a shower cap to cover my dough. (That is NOT used as a shower cap any more, I hasten to add!) Allow to prove for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Step 4	Pre-heat the oven to 225C/450F/Gas mark 8 and place a baking sheet or pizza tray in the oven. Grease and line a 20cms/8" cast iron crock/casserole dish with butter and grease-proof paper.
Step 5	Knead the dough for about 1 minute with floured hands on a floured board, Shape it into a large round cob/ball, and place it in the greased and lined cast iron crock. Allow to prove and rise for a further 20 to 30 minutes. Slash the surface with a sharp serrated knife in the shape of a cross, then sprinkle the pinhead oatmeal over the top of the dough.
Step 6	Place the crock on the pre-heated baking/pizza tray and bake for 30 minutes or until well risen, brown and the loaf sounds hollow when it is tapped on the underside. (If you wish, you can add a bowl of boiling water as soon as you put the bread into the oven – this steams and bakes the loaf to give a good chewy texture and keeps the inside moist.)
Step 7	Remove the bread when baked and cool slightly in the crock, before turning out on to a wire cooling rack. Serve warm with butter, cheese, pickles, chutney, ham and cold cuts, or slice when cool for sandwiches. Also wonderful when toasted the next day.