I often don’t finish a large bottle or can of beer, leaving a bit in the bottom that barely seems worth saving. When I remember, I’ll pop it in the fridge and save it to add to a stew or batter, but today’s rolls are my new favourite way of using it up.
Beer bread with cheddar and chives
You’ll need just 150ml beer to make these fluffy, super-flavourful buns. They’re a serious treat, and wonderful straight from the oven or dipped into a hearty stew. To build good gluten strength, especially when working with wholemeal flours, always add any extra flavourings such as cheese and herbs after the dough has had its initial proving time. (Incidentally, you could also use up any cheese rinds you have lying around in this recipe – the buns will absorb their wonderful intense flavours and distribute them throughout the crumb.
Makes 6 rolls
500g bread flour – I used 400g bread flour mixed with 100g wholemeal spelt
1½ tsp dried fast-action yeast (about 5g)
½ tbsp sea salt (about 7–8g)
300ml liquid – a combination of beer or ale and milk or water: I used 150ml leftover beer and 150ml milk
60g melted butter, plus extra to finish
2 tbsp honey, or sugar
120g grated hard cheese – cheddar, gruyère or similar
10g chives, or parsley, finely chopped
Line a deep, roughly 20cm x 24cm oven tray with (ideally unbleached) baking paper. Put the flour in a large bowl and stir in the yeast and salt. Pour in the liquid, 40g of the melted butter and honey, then, using one hand, bring the mix together into a rough, slightly sticky dough.
Turn out the dough on to a clean surface and knead for about eight minutes, until smooth and elastic. Return it to the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave somewhere warm for about an hour, until almost doubled in size.
Turn out the dough again, stretch it out into a rectangle, then scatter with 80g of the grated cheese and most of the finely chopped chives, reserving a little for later. Fold over the dough to enclose the cheese and herbs, then knead into the dough and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Divide the dough into six even pieces and shape each one into a roll; fold any rough edges to the bottom while stretching the dough. Arrange the rolls next to each other on the lined tray, then scatter over half the remaining cheese. Cover again and leave to rise for another 45 minutes, again until doubled in size.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6, then bake the rolls for about 25 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Remove, brush with more melted butter, then sprinkle over the last of the cheese and herbs, and tuck in.
