Cozy and Delicious Homemade Potato Bread
Cozy and Delicious Homemade Potato Bread
Bake Delightful Potato Bread at Home
I received a wonderful gift of fluffy, delicious potatoes! I’m turning them into homemade potato bread to share as a gift. When eaten warm, they are incredibly soft and comforting ^^ You might find yourself reaching for more and more! They are delicious on their own, and also pair wonderfully with strawberry jam. Let’s make these wonderfully soft potato breads!
Ingredients for Potato Bread- 180g bread flour
- 3g instant dry yeast
- 8g skim milk powder
- 18g muscovado sugar
- 3g salt
- 70g mashed potato (boiled and smoothly mashed)
- 90g water (lukewarm)
- 15g unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
- A little bread flour for dusting
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. In a stand mixer bowl or a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients EXCEPT the butter: bread flour, instant dry yeast, skim milk powder, muscovado sugar, salt, mashed potato, and lukewarm water. Begin mixing until the ingredients start to come together.
Step 2
2. Once the ingredients have formed a cohesive dough, add the softened unsalted butter. Now, knead the dough vigorously for about 20 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. If using a stand mixer, this might take around 20 minutes. For hand kneading, transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead until it’s smooth and windowpane test-ready (when you stretch a piece of dough, it should form a thin, translucent membrane without tearing).
Step 3
3. Place the kneaded dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and let it undergo its first fermentation (proofing) in a warm place for about 60 minutes, or until doubled in size. (Pro tip for faster proofing: Place the bowl inside a larger container with a cup of boiling water, cover the container, and maintain a temperature of 26-28°C (79-82°F) with 70-80% humidity for about 50 minutes.) To check if it’s ready, gently poke the dough with a lightly floured finger; if the indentation remains, it’s properly proofed.
Step 4
4. Gently punch down the dough to release the gases. Divide the dough into 5 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball, cover them with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and let them rest for about 15 minutes. This intermediate proofing (bench rest) relaxes the gluten, making the dough easier to shape in the next step.
Step 5
5. After the intermediate proofing, gently reshape the dough balls (a light pre-shaping). Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring there’s enough space between them as they will expand. Cover them again and let them undergo their second fermentation in a warm place for about 40 minutes, or until they have increased in volume by about 1.5 times. (Pro tip for proofing: Use the same method as the first proof, in a sealed container with warm water for about 40 minutes at 26-28°C with 70-80% humidity.) Ensure the seam side is facing down when placing on the baking sheet.
Step 6
6. Lightly dust the surface of the proofed dough with bread flour. Then, take a wooden skewer or chopstick, lay it horizontally, and gently press down into the center of each dough ball to create the characteristic shape of a potato bread. Be careful not to press too hard, as this can deflate the dough.
Step 7
7. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the potato breads for approximately 13-15 minutes, or until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Enjoy your freshly baked, wonderfully soft potato breads!
