Serves 10
THIS EASY QUICK BREAD IS PACKED WITH ZIPPY FLAVORS CELEBRATING THE incredible beer brewing and cheese-making traditions of the Midwest. You can use any combination of beer and hard cheeses you have on hand. But to make a bread that belies its humble appearance and really helps usher in cooler weather and comfort food season, I love using an Oktoberfest lager, crisp and spicy, paired with the sharpest Wisconsin Cheddar I can find.
Nonstick cooking spray for pan
1½ cups/170 g coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ cup/32 g finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups/384 g unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large shallot, peeled and finely minced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 tablespoons/28 g unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1½ cups/340 g cold beer
Position a rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 350°F/180°C. Spray a 9 × 5-inch/23 × 12.7 cm loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, toss together the cheeses. Remove ¼ cup/30 g and set aside for the topping.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the remaining 1½ cups/172 g of the cheese mixture and the shallot and garlic and stir to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and the mustard. Use a fork to stir together the butter and mustard until smooth. Add the beer, and use a wooden spoon to mix the batter gently just until it comes together and there are no dry pockets—don’t overmix.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over the top of the batter. Scatter over the reserved ¼ cup/30 g of cheese. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan to cool further. Store any leftovers, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 days.
TIP > Serve the bread warm from the oven the first day, and toast slices of any leftovers the next.