This is a very good recipe for students who need a solid loaf for their lunchtime meal. It is easy and extremely quick to make, as it self-rising and does not require kneading. I need hardly add that if you don’t care for the taste of beer you might not enjoy this recipe. It is packed with iron, and is excellent when eaten with Cheshire or Cheddar cheese and a steaming hot mug of tea.
Requirements:
3 cups (455 g) whole-wheat flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon honey 1 cups (340 ml) full-flavoured dark ale. (I generally just pour in a full, regular-sized bottle of Guinness) Loaf tin, well greased.
Preparation:
Heat the oven to 180 Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder in a big mixing bowl. Add the honey and ale and stir vigorously to make a heavy, wet dough.
Bung it in the pan and smooth it out with an oiled spoon.
Bake for about an hour until it is a deep brown. You can tell if it is done by sticking a knife through the middle and seeing whether it comes out clean. Turn the loaf out on to a wire rack and let cool completely.
It is best if you eat it in the next few days, but if you have to store it, it should be frozen.
I was standing at an East End bus-stop in 1962 on the day that the American astronaut John Glenn was set to take off and orbit the earth. In front of him were two middle-aged housewives with shopping bags. One of them looked up at the sky, sighed deeply, and then remarked, “I don’t think ’e’ll be going up today, do you, luv? I mean, look at the wevver!” –Michael Taylor