Guinness Rosemary Bread

I wanted to make something for St. Patrick's Day that used Guinness besides Nigella's Chocolate Guinness Cake, which admittedly is one of the best things ever. Something savory instead of sweet. Stout and chocolate go so well together though and I'm itching to make some Guinness ice cream that I read about a while back. Maybe next year.

This year though, I remembered a recipe for beer bread that my mom had given me years ago. Hers required just 4 ingredients: beer, white flour, sugar and butter. The yeast in beer works with the self-rising flour to make a dense, quick bread type of loaf. The ease in which this comes together is unbelievable. A loaf can be baking in the oven within 15 minutes, start to finish. For real.

I made some modifications using Guinness of course and then ramping up the fiber with some whole wheat flour. I used honey instead of sugar and then topped it with both rosemary and the richly-scented flaky smoked salt that Maldon makes. I absolutely love this salt. Buy some if you see it.

Like all bread, it smelled amazing while it was baking. The herbal, smokey topping melded perfectly with the barely sweet, stout-infused loaf. This is really best eaten the day you bake it, served warm with a little butter.

Erin go Bragh!

For one loaf:

• 12 ounces (350 ml) Guinness, room temperature
• 2 cups whole wheat self-rising flour
• 1 cup white self-rising flour
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon flaky smoked salt such as Maldon

Heat the oven to 350f (180c). Combine the Guinness, flours and honey in a large bowl. Stir together until just moistened. The batter will be quite thick. Grease a standard, greased loaf pan and spoon the batter evenly into it.

Drizzle the butter over the top. Sprinkle with the rosemary and salt. Place in the center of the oven and bake for about 45 minutes.

Place on a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Take out of the pan, slice and serve warm.