This is my version of the time-honoured beer bread, made in celebration of stout - the dark brew that has become associated the world over with Ireland. This recipe is fail-safe, ideal for those not too familiar with yeast cookery.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 5, 190°C, 375°F, and grease a 900g/ 2lb loaf tin. Place sugar, stout and butter in a large saucepan and bring to boil, then cool until lukewarm. Add a spoonful of this liquid to the yeast and mix until creamy. Add yeast, salt and egg to the stout mixture. Sift flour into a large, warmed, mixing bowl, with ginger and caraway seeds. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add liquid. Mix with a knife, then your fingers until it forms a soft dough. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth, elastic and a little shiny. Return dough to bowl and cover with oiled clingfilm. Leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. Then knead again until smooth, put in loaf tin, cover and set aside to prove a second time. When dough has doubled in bulk again, put in oven and bake for about 35 minutes. Bread is ready if it sounds hollow when tapped.

From the Appletree Press title: A Little Book of Irish Baking.
Also from Appletree: A Little Book of Scottish Baking and A Little Irish Cookbook.