Taken from Do Wild Baking by Tom Herbert. No knead. No rise. Super-quick. This cheeky loaf is fast and flexible. With its non-perishable ingredients, this is the ideal bake for the end of a long wilderness trip when you're in need of a homely, comforting bread and minimal washing-up! If you don't fancy venturing outside, this loaf can also be made perfectly in an oven.
We recommend using Toast Ale's Baker's Witbier which is made from our surplus Organic bread. This Belgian style wheat beer is lightly hopped with subtle notes of orange and coriander to give your loaf delicious flavour. We love that our bread has done a full 360, from our surplus loaves being turned into a tasty beer, and then used in this recipe to make a lovely, easy loaf.
First, pre heat your oven to 230 degrees. Put in to warm up a lidded pan such as a Dutch oven, a baking stone or a heavy baking tray.
Mix the dry ingredients together by hand in a large bowl.
In your bowl mix the beer into the dry ingredients until there are no dry lumps. The mixture should be very sticky and tacky but firm enough to stay in the bowl when turned upside-down. Think DIY crack filler.
Now dust the chopping board generously with the dusting flour. Plop all the dough out onto the floured board. Flour your hands and flip the dough so it is dusted top and bottom with flour. Then cup the damp dough and round it into a pleasing shape. Cut the dough through with a cross (in honour of the traditional Irish soda bread): it'll also bake quicker and make 4 handy batched rolls. Carefully lift the dough into the hot pan and put the lid on, or put it on the baking tray.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until it has started to form a good golden crust that sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Optional Extra
Try adding some orange zest and gently toasted coriander seeds to bring out the flavour of the beer.