BREADS - POTATO BREAD #2

Makes 2 loaves

1 cup plain mashed potatoes

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 package (1/4 ounce) dry yeast

½ cup hot water (120-130F)

4 to 5 cups bread or all-purpose flour, approximately

½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

2 medium (8”x 4”) baking pans, greased or Teflon

In a large mixing or mixer bowl combine the potatoes, eggs, ¼ cup sugar, salt, yeast, warm water, and 2 cups flour.  Stir into a rough batter.  Kneading will come later.

FIRST RISING

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside until the batter doubles in volume, 1 ½ hours. 

(If prepared with a new fast-rising yeast and at the recommended higher temperatures, reduce the rising times by about half).

Meanwhile, cream the butter with the remaining ¼ cup sugar.  Set aside.

Remove the plastic wrap and beat down the batter.  Stir in the creamed butter and sugar.  Add the balance of the flour, ½ cup at a time, using a wooden spoon or a mixer flat beater.  When the batter gets heavy, replace the beater with a dough hook.  The dough will be a rough, shaggy mass that will clean the sides of the bowl.  If the dough continues to be moist and sticky, sprinkle with small amounts of flour.

KNEADING

If by hand, turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with a rhythmic motion of push-turn-fold.  If using a mixer, knead the dough hook (and add flour if necessary) until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl.  The dough will form a soft ball around the hook as it turns.  Knead for 10 minutes.  The dough will be smooth and elastic when stretched between the hands.

SECOND RISING

Place the dough in a mixing bowl and pat with buttered or greased fingers.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave until the dough has risen to about twice its original volume, about 1 ½ hours.  You can test if it has risen by poking a finger into it; the dent will remain if it is ready.

SHAPING

Punch down the dough, turn it out onto the work surface again, and knead for 30 seconds to press out the bubbles.  With a sharp knife, divide the dough in half.  Shape into balls.  Let rest under a towel for 3 to 4 minutes.

Form the loaves by pressing each ball into a flat oval, roughly the length of the bread pan.  Fold the oval in half, pinch the seam tightly to seal, tuck under the ends, and place in the pan, seam down. 

THIRD RISING

Place the loaves in a warm place, cover with wax or parchment paper, and let rise to double in volume, above the edge of the pans, 40 minutes.

PREHEAT

Preheat the oven to 375F, 20 minutes before baking.

BAKING

Bake the loaves until they are a golden brown, about 40 minutes.  Turn one loaf out of its pan and tap the bottom crust with a forefinger.  A hard, hollow sound means the bread is baked.  If not, return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.  If the tops of the loaves appear to be browning too quickly, cover with a piece of foil or brown sack paper.  Midway during baking and again near the end of it, shift the pans so the loaves are exposed equally to temperature variations in the oven.  (If using a convection oven, reduce heat 50F.)

FINAL STEP

Remove the bread from the oven.  Turn from the pans and place on a metal rack to cool before slicing.

This loaf will keep well for several days at room temperature.  It will keep for 4 to 5 months at 0F in the freezer.  It makes fine toast.

MY NOTE:  I use a potato ricer to mash the potato. 

From Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads.