Stout Bread

Sláinte!

On a day inundated with Guinness cupcakes and corned beef, I opted to offer you something a little different.  Dry Irish stouts make a mighty appearance on St Patrick's day.  So in honor of this dark malty beverage, I baked up bread that shared that same deep, roasty flavor.  The key is in the addition of dark dry malt extract.  The darker the better. 

 This brewing ingredient lends a darker color and the roasted, malted flavor usually associated with this dark beer style.  The original recipe called for wheat bran to add a little extra body.  Instead, I substituted some spent grain from our last batch of beer,  adding even more malted complexity in addition to a wonderful whole grain texture.

Enjoy!
 
Adapted from Brother Juniper's Bread Book by Peter Reinhart

Yields three 1 1/2 pound loaves or about 36 rolls

The Ingredients:
9 cups bread flour

1/2 cup spent grain
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup cooked brown rice, completely cooled
1 cup dark roasted dry malt extract
3 Tbsp dry active yeast
4 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups warm water

The Process:
Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Add the buttermilk about 1 1/2 cups of water, stirring until combined.  Turn the mess out onto a well floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-12 minutes, adding additional water as needed.

To use a stand mixer, transfer about half of the dough to the mixing bowl and knead with a dough hook for about 5 minutes.  Combine the two dough balls, and knead by hand a minute or two to combine.

Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly greased bowl.  Cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a clean work surface.  For loaves, divide  the dough into thirds, gentle fold into a loaf shape and place in 9 x 4 x 3 inch pan.  For rolls, divide dough into 36 balls.  Gently rolls into balls and place in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, spacing them about 1- inch apart.  Approximately 12 rolls will fit per dish.  Brush with an egg wash.  Loosely cover aan allow to proof until double in size, about 1 hour

Preheat the oven to 350.

Bake the rolls for 10-15 minutes and loaves for 45 minutes or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Allow loaves to rest at least thiry minutes before slicing.