Swiss Cheese Beer Bread

I got this bread recipe from my fabulous sister ages and ages and ages ago, and it has popped up to make an appearance now and then over the past 8 or 9 years.  This bread is totally amazing, and I pledge right now to make it way more often, because whoa.  Yum.  This cheesy beer bread is studded with chunks of gooey, melty, toasty Swiss cheese, and I just want to eat the whole thing.  Note: You may want to place a pan or something underneath the bread pans in the oven just in case the Swiss cheese chunks drip.

Beer Swiss Bread

12 ounces beer

½ cup hot water

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon salt

2 Tablespoons butter

8 ounces processed Swiss or American cheese

4 ½ teaspoons yeast

5 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

8 ounces Swiss cheese, cut into ¼ inch cubes

In a large saucepan, combine the beer, hot water, sugar, salt, butter, and processed cheese and heat until steaming (or microwave in a large microwaveable bowl).  Cool until warm (about 110°F).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and yeast.  Pour in the warm cheese mixture and mix until combined.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough starts to smooth out.  Knead in the Swiss cheese cubes until evenly distributed and the dough is smooth and elastic.  Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl, and lightly grease the top of the dough.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rice about 1 hour or until double in size. 

Lightly grease 2 8x4 inch loaf pans (you can use 9x5 loaf pans, but the bread will not rise quite as high).  Punch the dough down and divide in two equal pieces.  Shape each piece of dough into about a 12x6 inch rectangle.  Cut each rectangle lengthwise into three 2-inch strips, leaving them joined at one end.  Braid the strips, then tuck the ends under and place in the prepared pans.  Place the bread in a warm place and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise about 45 minutes, or until the dough has risen over the pan about ½ inch.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Bake the loaves for 30 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and done in the center.  If the loaves brown too quickly, cover with foil.  Remove the bread from the oven and turn out of the pans onto a cooling rack.  Makes 2 loaves.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Swiss Cheese Beer Bread

Several years ago, my sister gave me this recipe.  I made it.  I loved it.  I might have even eaten half of it standing at the oven as soon as it was cool enough to touch.  However, I have not made it since then.  Four-ish years is soooo way too long to go without this bread.  This bread is moist and flavorful with a delicious excess of ridiculously desirable melted cheese pockets (some of which are golden and toasty).  Are you hungry yet?

Swiss Cheese Beer Bread

12 ounces beer
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces processed Swiss cheese
5 cups all purpose flour
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
8 ounces Swiss cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

In a large saucepan, combine the beer, water, sugar, salt, butter, and processed Swiss cheese.  Heat until just steaming and the cheese is partially melted.  Let cool until just warm.

In a large mixing bowl, stand mixer, combine 2 cups of flour, and the yeast.  Add the beer mixture and beat until combined.  Add the rest of the flour, a 1/2 cup at a time until the dough comes together and is not sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and spread the Swiss cheese cubes over it.  Knead in the cheese until the dough becomes smooth.  Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Grease 2 9x5 inch loaf pans.  Punch down the dough and divide in half.  Pat each half into a roughly 12x6 inch rectangle.  Cut the dough lengthwise into 3 even strips, leaving the dough attached at one end.  Braid the dough strips together, tucking under the ends.  Place the braided loaves in the prepared pans.  Cover the loaves loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise about 45 minutes or until the dough has risen about 1/2 inch above the pan. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Bake the bread for 30 to 45 minutes, until they are golden brown.  Remove loaves from the oven and immediately turn the bread out of the pans and let cool on a cooling rack.  Makes 2 loaves.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Rueben Loaf

Rueben sandwiches are one of my most favorite things to eat. Using her freshly-baked rye bread and homemade sauerkraut, my mom used to cook up these sandwiches and serve them to us fresh off the griddle. The only down side was that the toasted bread would rip up the top of your mouth a little bit. But it was so good that a little pain was definitely worth it. This version of a rueben sandwich is much faster than cooking individual sandwiches, and the outside of the bread stays so you can fully enjoy your meal, injury free! The only thing I will change for next time, is I will use a rye bread dough rather than a plain pizza dough.

1 Recipe Pizza Dough (use your favorite recipe, or this one will work)
8-10 oz Corned Beef, thinly sliced
3 T Thousand Island Dressing
1 C Sauerkraut (drained)
4 oz Swiss Cheese, thinly sliced
1 Egg White
Fennel Seeds

Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray. Roll dough out into a long oval shape on the pan (should cover the majority of the sheet).

Spread dressing over the dough, keeping away from the edges by at least 1.5 inches. Then spread your corned beef on top of the dressing, followed by the sauerkraut, followed by the cheese.

Cut edges of dough diagonally into 1.5 in strips.

Pull the strips of dough up and over the middle of the cheese. The two opposite sides of the dough should overlap.

Brush with egg and sprinkle with fennel seeds.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Mahlzeit!
-Coriaunty