Cast Iron

Who doesn’t go weak in the knees for homemade bread? When a slice of beautifully made bread can be breakfast, a snack, and the perfect side to a salad, it doesn’t last long. We don’t often turn on our ovens in the summer, but we do for this Summer Ale Bread, created for us by the multi-talented Jennifer Farley of food blog Savory Simple. Even though she’s been a professional chef and baker, Jen has a knack for making gourmet dishes in simple ways that everyday home cooks and bakers can enjoy.

Cast Iron: Naturally Non-Stick

Her embrace of old world tradition and materials is reflected in her love for using cast iron in the kitchen. Known for its even heating, heat retention, durability, and value, cast iron is Jen’s preferred cookware when baking Summer Ale Bread (recipe below), Savory Baked Oatmeal or Cherry Vanilla Muffins. Cast iron results in a superior crust, and when properly seasoned, your food will slide right out. It’s naturally non-stick without all the chemicals found in Teflon-coated bakeware and cookware. 

Recipe

“I’m a total sucker for beer bread,” says Jen. “There’s no kneading, no stand mixers, and no yeast aside from what’s already in the beer.” For the recipe below, stick with ales with lower IBU numbers. Higher numbers will be more bitter. Also, avoid IPAs for this recipe too. As the seasons change, feel free to experiment with different beers. See Jen’s Spiced Octoberfest when Fall rolls around!

Summer Ale Bread

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Makes: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 16 ounces (approximately 3 cups) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 4½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle Summer Ale beer
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (plus more for greasing the pan)

For the Full Recipe visit Savory Simple...

 

Giveaway

Enter for a chance to win $150 worth of everything you need to get started with cast iron cooking and baking. Giveaway ends at midnight CT July 7, 2015. View Official Rules.