“Beer” Bread

A few months ago, my husband and I went out to eat at a delicious steakhouse restaurant. Although the steak was good, it was the bread they served before the meal that caught my attention. It was soft and light and had the most amazing flavor. I am embarrassed to admit how many loaves I ate. I just couldn’t get enough!

I immediately started googling what type of bread it was and quickly realized it’s secret ingredient was beer. Since I don’t personally drink beer, I tried to come up with a way to recreate the bread with a different but similar ingredient. I did some research and came across a Mexican soda that is made with a malt flavoring similar to how beer is made. The result was perfect! If I am being honest, I even think this recipe tastes better than the restaurant’s; and that is saying a lot considering how much I ate at on our date night.

My secret ingredient: Malta Goya! You can find it in the Mexican food aisle of most grocery stores. It’s surrounded by all the “Goya” products. I sampled it and must admit that it is not something I would prefer to drink, but it is perfect for this recipe!

To begin making these amazing loaves, pour one, 7 fl. oz., bottle of Malta Goya into a liquid measuring cup and let it sit. This will help flatten the soda a bit before you pour it into the dough.

In a large mixing bowl, attached to a stand mixer, mix together the warm water, yeast, and 1 cup of white whole wheat flour. This will create a “sponge.” A sponge helps to improve the flavor and texture of the dough by softening the gluten and increasing the dough’s extensibility, which will create a greater volume in the finished product. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Add the oil, molasses, Malta Goya, vinegar, salt and 2 cups of all purpose flour. With the dough hook attached, knead the dough until all the ingredients are incorporated. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl while kneading and is not too sticky. Continue kneading the dough for about 5 minutes.

Cover the dough and allow it to rise for 1 – 1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. Remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 equal parts. Form each part into a round ball shape and place about 2-3 inches apart on a greased pan. Cover and let the dough rise again for 30-45 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. Score or slash the top of the dough with 2 lines about 2 inches long in the center of the loaf.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F. Place each loaf on a cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes. Slice and enjoy warm with honey butter!

Honey Butter Recipe: Mix together 2/3 cup of unsalted butter, 2 Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, and 1/4 cup of honey until fully incorporated. Spread onto the sliced bread and enjoy!