This crusty onion bread has an almost sourdough flavour from the cider, and sweet caramelised onion through the dough.
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Breadmaking is one of life’s simple pleasures that I don’t get around to nearly often enough. The process is a brilliant combination of art and science – art in deciding on flavourings, toppings, loaf shape, and the skill of kneading and shaping. But the science-y bit really brings out my inner geek…. yeast activation, gluten development, proving times and temperatures.
My bread adventures have been totally transformed recently by the arrival of one of the slickest and niftiest gadgets in my kitchen, my SuperFast Thermapen thermometer, (yes, mine is a fabulous pink, but they do make lots of other colours if pink is not your thing!!).
At first I used my Thermapen for all the obvious things you might need a kitchen thermometer for – finding the setting point of jam, tempering chocolate, checking pies and pastries were cooked through or frozen food had fully defrosted. But then I had a revelation when I realised this could solve all my baking woes too.
I’ve had more than my fair share of breadmaking disasters – usually in one of two categories: either the bread that never rises, despite hours and hours and hours of proving, or bread so undercooked it is still dense and doughy in the middle, and there’s no way of knowing until you slice it and its too late.
Making your Cider & Onion Bread
All that has now changed. I use my Thermapen at two very crucial points in the process:
- Checking the temperature of the water/liquid when first adding it to the dough – it must be warm enough to bring the yeast to life, but if it is too warm it will kill the yeast. The ‘safe’ range is 41°C – 46°C – that’s really very specific, and if you guess wrong without a thermometer, your beloved bread might well end up ruined before you’ve started.
Deciding when to remove bread from the oven – another crucial moment as a minute too long can leave it dry and overcooked, and a minute too soon leaves it claggy and doughy. The solution? Stick in your Thermapen, and check the temperature right in the middle of the loaf. The probe is long and super-sharp so there’s no danger of ruining your beautiful crust, but the moment the middle of the loaf reaches 88°C – 93°C it is ready and can come out of the oven.
A super-accurate thermometer like this really has revolutionised my baking – it takes all the guesswork out of the science-y bits of breadmaking, and hasn’t let me down yet. I also now use it to check cakes are cooked through – so much more accurate (and less destructive) than sticking in a knife, not a soggy bottom in sight!
Your Thermapen comes with a really handy little laminated ‘cheat sheet’ booklet of ideal temperatures for all sorts of baking, thawing, roasting, boiling, preserving, confectionery, sugar syrup and chocolate temperatures – I keep mine tucked in the cupboard next to the hob so it is always near to hand when I need it.
Here’s my recipe for this beautifully crusty Cider & Onion Bread. The scrumpy cider gives a lovely tang to the flavour, almost a sourdough-like taste, and the pre-cooked onions add a lovely sweetness – you can chop them very finely so they disappear into the dough like I did, or leave them a bit chunkier if you prefer to have some oniony chunks in the crumb.
I boiled off some of the alcohol from the cider, as I was worried about the alcohol killing the yeast, but I’ve since found some bread recipes using ales and ciders straight from the bottle, so might give that a try sometime too.
Crusty Cider & Onion Bread
Ingredients
- 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 250 ml dry cider
- 300 g strong white flour
- 200 g wholemeal flour
- 7 g sachet instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 40 ml olive oil
Instructions
- Gently fry the onion in a little cooking spray or oil for 4-5 minutes until soft. Add the cider to the pan and bubble for 2 minutes to reduce some of the alcohol. Tip the onions and cider into a measuring jug, and top up to 350ml with cold water. Set aside to cool until the mixture reaches 41°C - 46°C.
- Meanwhile, tip the flours, salt and sugar into a large bowl. mix together to combine, then add the yeast. When the cider mixture has cooled sufficiently, add this to the bowl and bring together into a dough. Remove to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
- Return to the bowl, cover loosely with oiled cling film, and leave in a warm place to prove for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Tip back onto the floured surface, knead for a further 2 minutes, then shape into a loaf or rolls as required. Cover with the oiled cling film once again, and leave in a warm place to rise. Preheat the oven to 220°C / 420°F / Gas Mark 8.
- After 30-45 minutes the loaf or rolls should have doubled in size once again. Sprinkle the top with flour, then slash a few times with a very sharp knife.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature of the oven to 170°c / 340°F / Gas Mark 5 and bake for a further 30 minutes. Test the middle of the loaf with your thermometer, and if it has reached 88°C - 93°C remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. If not, return to the oven and test at 5 minute intervals until ready.
Nutrition
If you’re looking for something to serve with this onion bread, you couldn’t get much better than my Scrumpy Cider & Onion Soup! Or try some of these cider-based recipes from blogging friends:
- Camilla’s Wholemeal Cheddar and Apple Chutney Soda Bread with Cider from Fab Food 4 All
- Shaheen’s Winter Vegetable Stew with Parsley Dumplings from Allotment 2 Kitchen
-
Jac’s Pumpkin Fondue from Tinned Tomatoes
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Thermapen, who commissioned the recipe and are providing the Giveaway prize.
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Chris @thinlyspread says
Oh my! How useful! I had a loaf yesterday which I left just a teeny bit too long at that crucial moment!
Trish Evans says
Especially useful for jam and sweet making
Choclette says
A cider loaf? Wow, that sounds so good Kate. Your method of temparute testing for the cooked loaf sounds super useful. I have a red thermapen, which I love the look of, but never figured out how to calibrate it properly 🙁
Tracey Peach says
For when I roast a joint of meat to make sure it’s cooked enough in the middle 🙂
iain maciver says
when I,m cooking meat joints to make sure fully cooked
Lucy says
When I’m making caramel, I always have trouble with it
Tracy Nixon says
For my Sunday roasts! Thank you!
Chris Andrews says
Leave a comment telling me what you would use your kitchen thermometer for. . . . . . . To check my roasts are correctly cooked
kim neville says
I would use for checking chicken and meats cooked properly
Linsdey C says
My bread making is appalling, so would definately give the above a go, using the thermometer, as I am convinced my super cold stone house has something to do with my inability to make bread rise properly
Nicki Evans says
I would use it to make sure meat is properly cooked.
Kiran Parry says
When cooking meat joints.
Johanne currie says
Cool prize x
Heather Haigh says
I’m never confident about fruit cakes being properly cooked so that would be my first use.
Karl Borowy says
chicken and roasts
Tania Atfield says
I would use it for jams and making fudge and also cakes
pete c says
to check that my roasts are safely and nicely cooked
Dadmac says
Blackberry jam
ashleigh allan says
For roast dinners!
Melanie Pugh says
I would definetely use it for bread making. I am trying and can make a loaf but its not how i want it to be. I think being more accurate with the water cold help a lot and often its a little under done when I had thought it was ready. This is a really clever gadget to have to hand!
clair downham says
to check our roast dinners
Leanne V Mckenna says
Cooking meats like whole chicken
Paula Readings says
I would use it for my Cottage pies.
frances hopkins says
Definitely for meat
Hayley F says
To check to see if my chicken is cooked x
Deborah ShireGardener says
As a vegetarian who now has to cook meat for an elderly relative, I would use it to make sure I am cooking the meat to a safe and proper temperature.
Love that bread!
Natalie Crossan says
Useful for cooking a roast dinner xx
Monica Gilbert says
I’d use it to make jam.
Beky Austerberry says
Everything – its a kitchen gadget I have always lusted after – thanks for the chance
Jacqueline Meldrum says
That’s one gorgeous looking loaf Kate. Thanks for linking to me. I really must start breadmaking again.
Lynsey Buchanan says
I would use it when cooking the sunday roast beef or chicken
Kasia says
Chicken
Anthony Harrington says
I would use it in baking, I may actually have a go a bread one day!
Allan Wilson says
Tablet making (I use guess work and sometimes it is great other times just a gooey sugary mess)
lorraine says
Melting chocolate. I always always mess up with that one.
Lizanne Cusens says
temper chocolate for the first time!
karen salisbury says
great for knowing when meats cooked
Kevin Honey says
I’d use if for checking on the turkey
Hayley Reeve says
I am a hopeless cook but my partner ( who does 97% of the cooking) said he needed one. So this would be a lovely surprise for him!
PAUL STANLEY says
Ensuring the meat is properly cooked
D Mitchell says
Great Prize. Now I don’t have to get food poisoning
Rona says
Macarrons!
Margot says
That bread loaf sounds so comforting and delicious! And the Thermapen you have mentioned looks like handy addition to any kitchen. I actually think I absolutely need to get one of those now… in red or blue 😉
KATHY D says
BLACKBERRY AND APPLE JAM
Angela treadway says
I would use it on my chicken when we have sunday dinner x
laura henney says
This is a kitchen must have, mine went for a swim in the sink and now doesn’t work so this is ideal!
I use for checking meat is safe, and when making candy.
Angela McDonald says
I’d use it for cooking delicious beef joints!
valerie cooper says
I will use it for all my meat and chickhen x
Caroline Hooper says
To cook the perfect roast chicken as it would be so useful!
Tracey Parker says
So I can perfect my roast beef
laura banks says
for my sunday dinners
sarah rees says
when cooking a roast
Rachel Craig says
When cooking a roast etc.
Sarah Davison says
Oooo everything. I’d use it for making blackberry jam using the blackberries out of the garden, I’d make toffee and fudge and whatever else I could find to use it for.
sofia s. says
for cooking meat, especially chicken whichis a dangerous kind of meat if not cooked thoroughly…and only a thermometer can help you with this!
Susan Smith says
Would use it for my jam making
Christine Beake says
Always fancied making jam
Nikki Hunter-Pike says
My husband doesn’t trust the prick with a fork and check juices run clear test for chicken – so i’d use it to prove the bird has been cooked!
nicola clarkson says
to check temperature of my jot of meat
Toni W says
I’ve just bought a slow cooker so I’d use it to check meat is cooked thoroughly
Natalie Charman says
For making caramel!
don erwood says
for Jam making
Matt McAndrew says
Unquestionably on meat! I have gotten it wrong a few times before and paid the price.
Kat Lucas says
Would be ideal to use in my candy making
Ruth Harwood says
Cooking roast meat to make sure I’m not poisoning the family!!
laura stewart says
i;d use this mostly for checking my meat
Amanda says
When I am cooking joint of meat and even when I baking bread or cakes it would come in very handy too 🙂
Phil Morris says
I have used a cheapo temperature probe purchased on the internet. You soon realize that they are not as well calibrated as they should be. Test it in boiling water – you’ll see what I mean. Would love to own a Thermapen Digital Kitchen Thermometer, but as a pensioner, cannot justify the initial investment. Would be happy to write an honest review if selected.
aaron broad says
We would use it to make sure stuff was hot all the way through
John Frost says
For my big joint of beef
Nickie C says
For when I make pork – I always overcook it!
Alison Moore says
I’ll use mine for sourdough bread getting the temperature right is right at each stage is one of the key requirements for a perfect loaf.
Alex Fowler says
having a go at cooking my first roast dinner
Maxine G says
Great idea to use it for bread, never thought about doing that before, but it makes perfect sense. I’d use the pen for this and the jam that I’d make to go with a lovely crusty loaf!
Tracy Gladman says
I might give jam making a go!
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes says
I’ve never really made my own bread, but you’ve made it look so easy. This looks like it was made in a bakery!
samantha price says
making homemade jam
amy p says
cooking a sunday roast
ruth robinson says
id use it to check my roast meat is cooked and up to temperature and when im baking a cake
Christine Caple says
I would use it to make sure my roast meat was cooked
Lyla says
To check on the Sunday roast
Keith Hunt says
For a Beef Joint that i never get right.
Anouska says
I’d like to try making Jam, this would come in very handy.
alvina boyd says
Great for honeycomb
Lisa Everaert says
When checking on Roasts and for my Jam making, Especially handy for jam making x
ali thorpe says
I’d use it for making jams and preserves, and really anything else where temperature is essential.
Adeline M says
I’d use it for soup
diane allen says
when making jams and preserves
Laura Todd says
Caramel Shortcake 🙂
Pam Smith says
I’d use it for meat
Mark R says
I’d like to try jam making so would be perfect for that
Emma Boylan says
This would be great for making jams, bread and toffee.
Mrs Sam Goodwin says
Tempering chocolate. I adore working with chocolate!
rachel h says
I have tried making fudge but failed as I have had to guess the temperature so if I win the thermapen it will hopefully mean my next attempt will be successful!
Stevie says
I’d use it on a chicken stew.
Kate Davies says
I’d use it for doing a roast.
BECCA STAPLES says
For checking joints of meat, chicken etc x
Carolynn Woodland says
Mainly for checking my food is hot in the middle and properly cooked
lisa ann tebbutt says
for all my roast meats
Mary Chez says
To make sure my joints of meat are cooked
Natalie Tamara says
This loaf looks so good – I would never have thought of using cider in bread! To be honest, my oven is pretty useless (we have to cook everything on 220C or we’d get nowhere) so I’d happily use it for any kind of baking.
betony bennett says
Hot chocolate 🙂
Sarah Robinson says
cooking meats
Danielle M says
I’d use it to learn how to temper chocolate for some fancy-ish desserts!
Julie Ward says
I wouldn’t ( don’t cook, won’t cook) this would be going to my sons house
claire jamie gray says
to check the roast x
Emily Clark says
I’d like to use it to make caramel. I know you have to get it to a very specific temperature!
Phyllis Ellett says
Mainly for meat, especially chicken.
Hayley Lynch says
Checking meat joints as I always worry they not cooked enough
Amanda Langley says
For checking meat is cooked through – joints, burgers etc.
Andrea Lloyd says
Roast dinners
irene gilmour says
when we are cooking meat on bbq we always have lots of people round in summer
Sheila Reeves says
For making sure meat is up to the right temperature when cooking a roast
Sophie Marie Cartwright says
Would have to be to check my meat is cooked through! Im such a paranoid cook – This would be marvellous!
Corinne Peat says
For roast chicken!
Paul Reeves says
For cooking the perfect roast
Kim Gilbert says
When cooking meat joints.
keri brooks says
When cooking my family meals meat joints so I know there probably cooked
denise cross says
Just a routine loaf which doesn’t go hard
Juli Savage says
For making sure the meat is cooked for a sunday roast
Anthea Holloway says
I make a lot of jam with homegrown blackcurrants, redcurrants, raspberries and gooseberries and this would be ideal for checking when setting point has been reached.
Jess Powell (Babi a Fi) says
I’d use it for cooking meat
sharon mead says
for roasting small joints as I tend to over cook them
Danielle Cresswell says
Id use it for cooking whole chicken roasts and steak xx
Eileen Sumner says
For checking chicken
Laura says
I would use it for cooking meat as I am not very good at telling whether it is done or not.
marianne d says
beef wellington that the boyfriend has been promising since we met a year and a half ago!
claire woods says
to make sure food is cooked to the right temperature.
carole nott says
This would be very useful when cooking a roast dinner
Sarah P says
It would be really useful for jam and chutney making
lynn heath says
I would use it for checking joints of meat
Jayne T says
I’d use this all the time for when I’m cooking meat or fish so I can check it’s reached the right temperature. Thanks for the lovely giveaway.
Rachel Butterworth says
Roast dinners.
donna l jones says
roast dinners
Caroline Blaza says
I would use it when I roast meat x
Ruby Warwick says
I would use it on meat products, even chicken I am always a little bit scared its not cooked all the way through.
Lucy Bishop says
I’d use it to make honeycomb!
Linda Tizzard says
When roasting meat and chicken
Lauren Old says
I would use it to test liquids like stock and soups to make sure they’re hot enough
Liza Park says
I would use it to test my roast meat
helen booth says
For making caramel and large roast dinners!
Yvonne P says
I’d love to give homemade blancmange a go after seeing James Martin make one recently, never realised it took so much precision before!
Mary Campbell says
I’d check the Roast Turkey religiously, before our customary lavish Christmas Day meal, which we have many times a year 🙂
Diane Carey says
For checking if cakes are ready. I’m useless at them
Greig spencer says
USE IT FOR COOKING ROASTS
carolyn joyce says
cooking poultry and pork
Michelle Sykes says
I would use if for my bread and beef wellington
Angela Williams says
when making jam
Joanne Higgins says
not really tried the whole bread making thing so would be perfect place to start using on that xx
Carly M says
I would use it to make the perfect beef wellington
Rose Elise says
I would use it for making candies! There’s such a delicate balance between perfect candy and something overdone. I also would probably use it for jams.
Simon Harrington says
Would be great at Christmas for testing the Turkey.
Bryanna M says
I would use mine for baking mostly I think! I always have a hard time figuring out when things are cooked through, and this will help!!
Ruby Spiteri says
For cooking joints of meats x
Allan Fullarton says
Great for cooking meat joints.
Sophie Sanderson says
Would certainly use it for meat joints as I constantly over cook meat through the fear of it not being cooked enough!! This would make everyone in my house happier!!
Susan B says
I seem to have lost the knack of knowing when preserves are ready (the saucer test is failing me) and wasted a lot of food! So, preserves would be first on the list.
Kathryn Casbolt says
For ensuring that poultry is safely cooked.
Debbie Preston says
It would be mainly used for meat joints
Shirley Evans says
I would use it for the setting point of jam and checking TEMPERATURE OF POULTRY
Donna Browne says
When I cook joints of meat
Ann Williams says
I would use the thermapen when making jams and chutneys. That setting point is just so important to getting a good result.
kimberley ryan says
as well as using it for roast joints, would use it when making fudge
Adrian Bold says
Primarily I’d use it for meats (and of course the annual Turkey!)
clara bee says
For cooking roast turkey
Michaela Smith says
Tempering chocolate ! The cider and onion loaf looks amazing ..so I might give that a try at some point 🙂 🙂 🙂
esther james says
Cake making and roasting joints
johanna brown says
So glad i found this blog! Delicious recipes
thevegspace says
Thanks Jonanna! x
carol boffey says
Hot chocolate
Suzanne Howell says
I always worry that my roast chicken isn’t cooked, so I end up over cooking it – this would help enormously.
sarah pavlidis says
Would love one of these – so useful
Sheri Darby says
I’d love to try home made sweets and this would remove the guesswork
Rebecca Howells (@PeanutHog) says
For Sunday roasts. I am a veggie so I am not good at cooking big lumps of meat! This would really help me out!
Samantha Atherton says
I’d finally get round to making some Jam & use it then.
Amy Eastwick says
everything!
Sparklett21 says
Testing temperature in the middle of loaf is an excellent tip. ☺️
Sarah S says
I’d use it to make sure the meat is cooked everywhere properly!
Anthony says
I’m terrible at judging temperatures so this would be great!
Charmian Filewood says
Roasts in particular, but also fancied making jams and marmalades so this ould come in very handy!
Vicky Loveday says
I’d like to try tempering chocolate.
Sarah Collins says
I’d like to use it I experiment with new recipes for my veggie toddler.
I think it will also be handy to take out with us to check the temperature of her milk.
Claire Barker says
I would use it for making vegan sweets 🙂 .
Donna Caldwell says
I would use it to make sweet chilli jam
Cyra Bellamy says
Definitely when roasting a joint of meat
Chris Fletcher says
I’d probably use it on the sunday roast to make sure!
Romana Richards says
When I am making fudge.
Rennene Hartland says
to test i get the right temp for my fudge
Vera Bahounkova says
I would use it when cooking meat
Debbie says
Been wanting one of these for an age now. I have tried making sweets, nougat and they have not worked due to not having a decent thermometer!
Also to get that roast just right!
Kirsty Woods says
Checking my Sunday roast
Collette Mackey says
Really want to start making my own sweets reckon winning thus would give me the push I need 🙂
jessica cook says
im always worried about undercooked meat so i would love to win one so i know when its cooked
Angela Paull says
Jam, Joints of Meat and I really want to try making toffee and honeycomb so this would be ideal!
Victoria Prince says
I would use mine for making caramel and tempering chocolate 🙂 Though also for meat – I am terrible for overcooking it because I’d rather be safe than sorry
Christopher Read says
Checking that food is cooked right the way through
EJ Dunn says
To check I have cooked chicken all the way through
Hazel Rea says
I would use it when cooking chicken or a roast pork – I always worry that it’s cooked through and probably cook it longer than necessary wasting energy. I’d also use it when making jam.
Anneka Hulse says
checking meat temperatures on joints
Lee Donovan says
I would use it to ensure my roasts were perfectly cooked
Sandra Clarke says
I would use for joints of meat.
Natalie Gillham says
This would help me much improve my cooking, thanks for the chance x
Ioana Popescu says
For turkey
Jayne K says
To make sure chicken and other roasts are safely cooked
Helen says
I’d use my Thermapen for checking when puddings, breads, etc are done.
Michelle Wild says
Chicken.
Wendy Guy says
I would use it to make jam and marmalade.
Lucy Chester says
For making cakes and breads as since my son turned vegan we do a lot more cooking
helen newton says
I would love to use for when cooking meat as I always worry if it is under cooked , also cake making 🙂
Denise C says
When roasting meat – especially poultry
Saran Benjamin says
Joints of meat seeing as I have had a good few disasters over the years
Leslie Evans says
Steak, Chops, Roast Beef, Chicken.
Karen Harrison says
I would make sure my medium rare is perfect!
Julie Camm says
Mainly for checking roasting joints of meat..
Dale Dow says
when cooking meat, I am one of those that always gets paranoid my meat isn’t cooked right x
Glyn Davies says
For checking Turkey
Suzanne Sendell says
For cooking chicken as you have to make sure Its cooked right through
Kate Phillips says
Making sure the chicken is cooked inside as well as out.
Julie Edwards says
I would love to gift this to my mum to help her with making jams and chutneys xx
Rebecca hussey says
I’d use it when cooking meat
Laura Vitty says
I’d use it for making cinder toffee and jams
Thomas Perry says
I would use it for cooking meat, I’m terrible at timing at my chicken always ends up raw or over cooked
Jill fairbank says
For my Sunday roast my children are a little bit funny if it’s a little rare
Lisa Pond says
Checking on roast dinners 🙂
Rachel Hughes says
Gonna have to jam.. I have not managed as yet to make jam that is not like toffee….
Amy Beckett says
Cooking the perfect steak
Jeremy Andrews says
Making cakes and Roast Dinners
Vickie Jackson says
When I’m cooking a roast for Tuesday Dinner 🙂
ellie spider says
for checking meat is cooked thoroughly
Zoe Graham says
Mostly for meat I think!
Pam Francis Gregory says
This would be perfect when I’m making a loaf
helen spillett says
I’d use my for checking meat is cooked through… as a veggie in a meat eating household I worry that its not cooked through and am always slicing meat to check it befor serving… I would then use it for baking which I love to do!
Andrew Seaman says
Checking when and when not to cut a cake 😀 Too hot and it collapses
julie jones says
Lovely prize, so many things this would be useful for. Im a keen baker so this would be of great help
Aaron Milne says
I would use it to make sure meat is properly cooked.
Amanda Norwood says
I’d use it to make sure my meat was properly cooked
Simon Keeping says
Would use it for making fudge on it’s debut.
Caroline Smith says
When I’m making caramel as I’ve never managed to get it right yet!
Karen Dixon says
for making fudge
Jackie Rushton says
Cooking meats
cat holdcroft says
Fudge
George Williamson says
Cooking meat
Katie Sharman says
Cooking Sunday roasts and baking
Petra Beck says
I would use it to make the perfect Sunday roast!
Alice Megan says
I’d use it when I make honeycomb! It needs to be at an exact temperature so this would be great
Fiona jk42 says
It would be perfect for making preserves and jams
Holly Neale says
Yay I’ve always wanted one of these! It looks fab!
christine nicholson says
When i’m cooking meat joints
cheryl hadfield says
perfect for chicken
Mike Gerrie says
I can never get my meats cooked to perfection, either overdone or the opposite
Karen Howden says
I would use it to test my oven to see if its working properly, I suspect its not
Lisa Mauchline says
For joints of meat but also to try making jam
M Allen says
These are useful for home brewing – that’s what I’d use mine for.
claire bingham says
I never can cook a roast right, so would be fab for this, but also be fab for to use and try and make some yummy homemade jams
Anita hargreaves says
I am a dodgy cook and find my fruit cake can be soggy in the middle so would use it for baking and for honeycomb
Monika S says
for when i make a Shepard pie
Lisa Debz says
this would be amazing as i have OCD and tend to overcook to be on the safe side, my 3 kids hate burnt food
Bethan Phillips says
To temper chocolate!