The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Rye Spelt Onion Cheese Beer Bread

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Rye Spelt Onion Cheese Beer Bread

 

This is the first bake since returning from my business trip to Germany.  I had a nice trip, but unfortunately as usual I brought back the "Black Death" with me and it took me a good week to start feeling normal again, not to mention adjust to the East Coast time zone.

My wife has been dying to try making yogurt in the Instant Pot so after she finally made enough yogurt to feed a small army I decided to make use of some of it in a bread.

Fall is upon us on the East Coast of New York....well it was around 75 degrees today, so maybe it doesn't feel like it just yet.  Anyway, this bake is the perfect fall bread to have with some soup or as part of a nice sandwich.  No cheese needed as it is inside the bread!  I used a medium hard style cheese that doesn't melt very much which is why you can see nice chunks of it in the bread.

I also added a nice helping of caramelized onions which seem to have melted into the final dough.  Next time I will add some to the outside of the bread to really taste the sweet onion flavor.

Beer added a nice complex flavor and went perfectly with the fresh milled rye and spelt flour.  This one is tasty and good enough to eat with nothing on it, but a little butter won't hurt it either.

Formula

 

Download the BreadStorm File Here

 

Levain Directions

Mix all the Levain ingredients together for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it sit at room temperature for around 7-8 hours or until the starter has doubled.

Either use in the main dough immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 day before using.

 Main Dough Procedure

Mix the flours, and beer together in your mixer or by hand until it just starts to come together, maybe about 1 minute.  Let it rest in your work bowl covered for 30 minutes to an hour.  Next add the salt, and starter (cut into about 7-8 pieces), and  mix on low for 4 minutes.  Add the cheese and onions and mix for about 30 seconds.  Remove the dough from your bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl or work surface and do several stretch and folds.  Let it rest covered for 10-15 minutes and then do another stretch and fold.  Let it rest another 10-15 minutes and do one additional stretch and fold.  After a total of 2 hours place your covered bowl in the refrigerator and let it rest for 12 to 24 hours.

When you are ready to bake remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let it set out at room temperature still covered for 1 hour.  Remove the dough and shape as desired.   Place your dough into your proofing basket(s) and cover with a moist tea towel or plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray.  The dough will take around 1.5 hours depending on your room temperature.  Let the dough dictate when it is read to bake not the clock.  (Note: the fresh spelt and rye combo really ferments quickly so don't let it go too long or you may end up with a pancake).

Around 45 minutes before ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 540 degrees F. and prepare it for steam.  I have a heavy-duty baking pan on the bottom rack of my oven with 1 baking stone on above the pan and one on the top shelf.  I pour 1 cup of boiling water in the pan right after I place the dough in the oven.

Right before you are ready to put them in the oven, score as desired and then add 1 cup of boiling water to your steam pan or follow your own steam procedure.

After 1 minute lower the temperature to 450 degrees.  Bake for 25-35 minutes until the crust is nice and brown and the internal temperature of the bread is 205 degrees.

Take the bread out of the oven when done and let it cool on a bakers rack before for at least 2 hours before eating.

The crumb was perfect for this type of bread, with a fairly open crumb but too much so you can hold all those nice fillings in!

Comments

Elsie_iu's picture
Elsie_iu

The combination of cheese, onions and beer is indeed unbeatable! Love how moist and springy your bread always looks.

Btw, do you have any tips for handling dough with >20% rye? Whenever I cross the 20% line, the bread ends up having a slightly sticky and wet crumb. It was not under-baked and I already let it rest for 6+hours before slicing it.

The fact that some cheese melted out onto the bread surface makes it 10x more appealing :)

Isand66's picture
Isand66

This one was very tasty.  This was very hydrated and sticky.  I use a dough scraper and wet my hands.  I sometimes will spray my work surface with cooking spray as well.

Happy bakng.

Ian

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

That looks and sounds soooo delicious! Love the combo of ingredients! A bread after my own heart!

Isand66's picture
Isand66

I was inspired by your last bake!  This one came out great and is so tasty.

Happy Baking!

Ian

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Lucy likes to see the cheese!  This one has everything we like in bread for sure, beer, cheese, caramelized onion, yogurt, whole grains.  Enjoy the warm rain before fall and winter hits.  Very nice Ian and Lucy sends her best to the East Coast pack and 5 furry ones

Happy baking Ian

Isand66's picture
Isand66

I figured this one would be right up your alley.  It's the perfect bread for the cooler fall weather.  It was only about 58 degrees today after being in the 70s most of the week so fall is upon us finally.  

Happy Baking!

Ian