MOM'S BEER-BATTERED CHEESE BREAD

Mom's Beer-Battered Cheese Bread image

Provided by Fran Murray

Time 1h5m

Number Of Ingredients 8

8 oz gruyere cheese, 4 ounces shredded and 4 ounces cut into 1/4 inch cubes
3 c all purpose flour
3 Tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
12 oz light-bodied beer, such as budweiser
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Steps:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. Combine shredded and cubed cheese, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper in large bowl. Stir in beer and mix until well combined. Pour into loaf pan, spreading batter to corners. Drizzle melted butter evenly over top of batter.
3. Bake until deep golden brown and toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool bread in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Cool completely and slice as desired. (Although this bread can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, after the second day the bread is best toasted.)
4. Beer-Batter Bread with Smoked Gouda and Bacon: substitute 8 ounces smoked Gouda for Gruyere. Stir 8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled, into bowl with cheese.
5. Beer-Battered Bread with Cheddar and Jalapeno: substitute 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar for Gruyere. Stir 2 seeded and minced jalapeno chilies into bowl with cheese.