If you're in the mood for something rich, satisfying and pretty quick, then you'll have to try this cheese, bacon and onion bread which is made with baking powder instead of yeast. This bread is quick to make, it doesn't have to rise like ordinary yeast based breads, and the bacon and Gruyere provide a great flavor base. A slice of this would be perfect with a bowl of soup – or just with a cup of tea or coffee. Of course, you could mix it up a bit: if you don't have Gruyere on hand, no big deal – just use cheddar, or anything else you have on hand. No Asiago? Well try Parmesan or any other sharp cheese.
This is such a flavor intensive bread, you really can't go wrong with bacon and cheese!
Gruyere Bacon Quick Bread
- 1 cup Asiago cheese (3 oz)
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese (4 oz)
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 5 slices of bacon
- 3 tablespoons bacon fat
- ½ cup minced onion
- 1 egg
Method:
Set the oven to 350 degrees. Chop the bacon up and fry it until crispy. Save 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat, pour off the rest. Cook the onion in the pan until soft (about 5 minuts), scraping off any baking bits left in the pan. Let the bacon and the onion cool.
Coat a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with vegetable spray, then sprinkle half a cup of Asiago cheese at the bottom.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Stir in the Gruyere cheese. In a separate bowl whisk together milk, sour cream, bacon fat, and the egg. Carefully fold the milk mix into the flour mix with a spatula until it's just combined – but don't overdo it.
Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the rest of the Asiago cheese. Bake for about 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and a stick comes out pretty clean.
Let the loaf cool for about 10 minutes before unmolding.
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