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This potato bread recipe promises a delicious, tender, and moist loaf perfect for a variety of uses, from savory sandwiches to a simple, buttery snack. This white bread’s secret ingredient, potato flakes, contributes to its uniquely soft texture and subtle flavor, making it a standout choice for any bread lover. If your occasion calls for rolls instead of bread, go for my Potato Rolls. Let’s explore the steps to creating this delightful potato bread, along with tips to ensure your loaf turns out perfectly every time.
Its tender crumb and delicate flavor offer a comforting experience, reminiscent of home-cooked meals and gathering around the table. This recipe is designed to be accessible for both novice and experienced bakers, encouraging everyone to discover the joy of baking bread from scratch. Wether it’s sweet bread like Cinnamon Banana Bread, Potato Bread or your classic rich Browned Butter Banana Bread it’s a celebration of simple ingredients coming together to create something truly special.
Potato bread makes the perfect side to any meal. To make a meal complete all you need is a main dish, side dish & dessert! With this bread, all that is left to make is the dessert, try my Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are loved by all!
The Chemistry of Potato Bread
Potato bread’s distinctive texture is thanks to the addition of potato flakes, which absorb moisture and retain it throughout the baking process. This results in a loaf that’s exceptionally tender and moist compared to traditional white bread. The yeast is activated by the warm water and sugar, initiating fermentation, which causes the dough to rise and develop its structure and flavor. The eggs enrich the dough, contributing to its softness and richness, while the bread flour provides the necessary gluten strength to support the loaf’s shape.
Why use potato flakes in bread?
Potato flakes contribute moisture and create a finer, tender crumb in the bread, which is difficult to achieve with wheat flour alone. They also add a subtle depth of flavor that enhances the bread’s overall taste.
How do you know when the bread is fully cooked?
The bread is fully cooked when it’s golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. An internal temperature of 190 degrees Fahrenheit is a reliable indicator that the bread is done. You can stick a kitchen thermometer in the middle of the bread to know.
Can I make this bread without a stand mixer?
Yes, you can make potato bread without a stand mixer. After combining the ingredients, you can knead the dough by hand on a floured surface. It requires a bit more effort but it’s entirely doable and can be quite satisfying.
How long can you store potato bread?
Store in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the bread for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently reheat in the oven before serving.
What is in potato bread?
Warm Water
Activates the yeast, starting the fermentation process for the dough to rise.
Granulated Sugar
Adds sweetness, provides a caramelized flavor and crisp texture. Sugar assists with rising when creamed with butter. It helps add moisture to your treat and helps it evenly spread as it melts into a liquid in the heat of the oven. Sugar also helps with naturally preserving your baked treat.
Milk
Adds moisture to the batter or dough. Milk adds protein and sugar (lactose) to your treat. It encourages browning and adds a bit more sweetness to your baked treat.
Unsalted Butter
It is always important to use unsalted butter when baking. If you use salted butter, you have no way of knowing how much salt you are adding to your dough or batter and it will result in an overly salted treat.
Butter adds fats to your dough or batter which helps with moistness, flavor and texture. Butter melts at body temperature, which creates a ‘melt in your mouth’ sensation.
When baking with butter the temperature is important. If the butter is too warm your treat will melt down too fast and overspread in the oven, leaving you with a greasy, flat mess. If your butter is too cold it will have the opposite problem and not melt down enough, leaving your treat too thick.
Eggs
Adds both a protein (egg whites) and fat (egg yolks). The egg whites help with rising because, when foamed, little air pockets get trapped inside the egg white mixture. The water content in egg whites encourages steam while baking, which helps with gluten formation, resulting in nice and thick treats. Egg yolks have emulsifying properties that bring batters and doughs together and help them from collapsing. Unless otherwise specified, always use large eggs.
Potato Flakes
The key to the bread’s moist, tender crumb.
Yeast
Provides flavor and carbon dioxide, making your dough rise. It must be mixed with a warm liquid and sugar in order to activate.
Fine Sea Salt
Enhances flavor, adds balance, masks any bitter flavors. Salt is the most powerful and oldest preservative. Always make sure to use fine sea salt so it melts down at the right speed in the heat of the oven. If you use larger granule salt, it will not melt down fully when baked and will leave salt crystals throughout your treat, making it crunch like you dropped it into sand.
Bread Flour
Is higher in protein and creates thicker treats. This is best used for bread and shouldn’t be used as a substitution for all-purpose or cake flour.
Storage Tips
Cool the bread completely before storing to prevent condensation from making the crust soggy. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in a bread box at room temperature to maintain freshness. For longer storage, slice and freeze the bread, wrapping slices individually or placing parchment paper between them for easy separation.
Making Ahead
You’ll want to do the first rise of the dough overnight in the refrigerator, if you prefer to split the bread-making process into two days. Allow the dough to come back to room temperature before proceeding with shaping as well as the second rise.
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Why make potato bread?
By following this detailed guide to creating potato bread, you’re well on your way to baking a loaf that is not only satisfying to make but also brings warmth and homamde goodness to your table. Enjoy the process and the delicious result!
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Potato Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar + 1 tsp
- 2 cups milk **scalded
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup potato flakes
- 1 tbsp yeast
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
- 7 cups bread flour
Instructions
- In a glass bowl or measuring cup, add warm water, 1 tsp of granulated sugar and yeast. Whisk until combined and set aside to let bloom.
- In a medium sauce pan add milk and turn the heat up to medium. Cook until scalded, but do not boil. Remove from the heat.
- Stir the butter and sugar into the hot milk, allow the butter to melt.
- Whisk the eggs into the milk mixture then add the potato flakes. Mix until combined.
- In a large bowl add the bread flour and salt, pour the milk mixture and yeast mixture on top of the flour. Mix with a wooden spoon or dough hook. Knead until a soft dough is formed. The dough will still be a bit sticky.
- Cover the large bowl holding the dough with a dish towel. Allow to rise for 2 hours.
- After the first rise, pour the dough out onto a floured counter. Knead a bit and split the dough into two even pieces. Place the dough into 2 greased, light metal bread pans.
- Cover the bread pans with a dish towel and allow to rise for another 1-2 hours.
- When the bread is ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the bread for 50 minutes, until golden on top. If you insert a kitchen thermometer it should read 190 degrees.
- Remove from the oven and coat the top of the bread with some butter **optional**
- Allow to cool & rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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