Bacon Beer Cheese Bread Bowl

Submitted by Bonnie G #2

"It’s bacon, beer, and lots of cheese. The Bread Bowl is made up of a fondue-like beer cheese with a bubbly, browned layer on top, tucked inside of toasted bread and served with crispy, garlic and herb topped bread slices for dipping. Not to mention, when those bread slices run out, guests can pull apart the bread bowl and eat it, too. From Host the Toast Blog. what’s important about this beer cheese is that it has a good balance of liquid and solid ingredients. This allows it to melt into an even, fondue-like texture without soaking through the bread. To get that perfect consistency, whisk together beer and cream cheese, fold in shredded cheeses, and mix in a bit of cornstarch slurry as well. The cornstarch slurry ensures that when those cheeses melt and release their oils, the dip won’t separate into a gloppy, curdled mess."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Yields: 1 loaf
• Serves: 10

ingredients

• 1 large Italian bread
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 8 ounces lager beer, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 8 ounces swiss cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1⁄4 cup chopped mixed herbs (such as chives, parsley, and dill)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• chopped chives, to top

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Slice off the top of the bread. Hollow out the inside of the bread to create a bowl. Save the top of the bread for later.
3. In a large bowl, combine whisk together the softened cream cheese and 1 cup of the beer, until well-combined. Combine the remaining tablespoon of beer with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Add the cornstarch slurry, the whole grain mustard, and the Worcestershire sauce to the cream cheese mixture and whisk again to combine. Fold in the shredded cheeses, then fold in the bacon. Fill the bread bowl with the cheese mixture. Transfer the bread bowl to a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Slice the top of the bread that was cut off earlier into thin pieces, and place them on the baking sheet, crust-side up.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, herbs, and olive oil. Spoon or brush the herb mixture onto the tops of the bread slices.
6. Bake the bread for 5 minutes, or just until the cheese is melted, stir, and continue to bake until the cheese begins to brown on top, about 30 minutes. If you notice that the bread slices begin to brown too much, cover them with foil as the beer cheese finishes cooking.
7. Top the dip with chopped chives and serve warm with the bread slices, broccoli, and pretzels.