Guinness Loaf for St Patricks Day- The Bread Challenge Part 1

Ok, so when I set myself the bread challenge several days ago it certainly wasn't my intention to take this long to start it but at least I have got off the ball now with my first loaf especially for St Patricks Day!
 Not much to say about this loaf. Now I have the kneading technique sussed, and allow plenty of time for the dough to rise to the maximum, I found it quite easy. Using the brown flour did give the dough a less elasticated feel though and quite rubbery to the touch when kneading but the end result came out great and you can certainly taste the Guinness in each slice of bread.
 Ingredients:
 250g/9oz Strong White Flour
 250g/9oz Malted Brown Flour
 1 Sachet Easy-Blend Dried Yeast
 1 1/2 Tsp Salt
 300ml/10floz Guinness
 Veg Oil for Brushing

 Method:
1. Sift both flours into a bowl and stir in the yeast and salt. Make a well in the centre.
2. Heat the Guinness very slightly in a microwave til lukewarm. Pour into the well and mix to a soft dough.
3. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth then return to bowl, cover with a wet tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour.
4. Turn out and knead lightly for a couple of minutes. shape into an oval and place in a 2lb oiled loaf tin. Cover and leave to rise until doubled in size.
5. Cook in a pre heated oven for 20-30 minutes at 200C/400F/Gas6 then transfer to a wire rack

Guinness Loaf

Happy St Patricks Day.
Let me leave you with my St Patricks Day photo of the church opposite the pub this morning. Snow in March!!!

St. Martins Church, Litchborough

CHOCOLATE AND GUINNESS CAKE

GUINNESS, a popular Irish stout and one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, being brewed in almost 50 countries and sold in 100.
I often use it in the filling for my steak and stout pies but this week I saw a recipe for a chocolate and guinnes cake. Bit like chilli and chocolate I was curious to see what it would taste like in a cake rather than a main dish.

 

INGREDIENTS

4oz Butter (Room Temperature)

8oz Light Muscovado Sugar

6oz Plain Flour

2oz Cocoa Powder

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda

3Free Range Eggs (Beaten)

7Floz Guinness

Cream the butter and sugar together then whisk in the eggs gradually. Sieve all the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix in. Finally whisk in the Guinness.

Line an 8ins cake tin with greaseproof paper, add the mixture and bake in a pre-heated oven 160C/325F/Gas Mark 3 for approx 30-40mins.

Turn the cake out on a cooling rack and whilst cooling make a buttercream for the top.

*Top Tip*  As a guideline, quantities for basic buttercream is double icing sugar to butter.

In this recipe I used 5oz butter to 10oz icing sugar. Beat the butter til soft then beat in the icing sugar. Add a couple tsps of milk if required to loosen the mixture.

Spread over the cooled cake and use a fork to pattern through the mixture.

Cut yourself a slice and enjoy this dark, rich chocolate sponge.