Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (yields ~3 1/2 cups mashed)
- 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed to ~100-110F
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 packages)
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed and softened
Prepare the Mashed Potatoes
Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks. Place them in a pot and cover with just enough cold water to submerge them.
Do not salt the water.
Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain them well and mash until smooth while they are still warm.
Spread the mashed potatoes on a baking sheet to cool completely. You can prepare these a day ahead and store them in the refrigerator.
If you are using leftover seasoned mashed potatoes, omit the salt from the dough.
Mix the Dough
In a small bowl, stir the active dry yeast into the warm milk and let it sit for ~10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cooled mashed potatoes and the eggs. Mix on low speed to create a smooth paste.
Add the yeast mixture to the potato paste and mix to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and granulated sugar.
Switch to the dough hook attachment on your mixer. With the mixer on low, add all of the dry ingredients to the bowl.
Knead the Dough and Add Butter
Continue to mix on low for ~15 minutes. The dough will be smooth and thick, and should pull away from the sides of the bowl. This long initial kneading time is necessary to develop the gluten structure before adding the fat.
With the mixer running on medium speed, add the softened butter, a few cubes at a time. Continue kneading for another ~10 minutes, or until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic.
Proof the Dough
Lightly oil a large bowl. Form the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl, turning it over to coat the surface with oil.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for ~1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Shape and Proof the Loaves
Turn the dough out onto an unfloured work surface. The dough should be manageable, but if it is very sticky, you can lightly oil your hands.
Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Pre-shape each piece into a round and let it rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
Shape each round into a log and place it seam-side down into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan.
Cover the pans with plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm spot for ~30-45 minutes, or until the dough has risen about an inch above the rim of the pan.
Bake the Bread
Preheat your oven to 375F.
Bake the loaves for ~30-35 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches ~185-190F.
Immediately turn the loaves out of the pans onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For a softer, shiny crust, you can brush the tops with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.
Soft Potato Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes yields ~3 1/2 cups mashed
- 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk warmed to ~100-110F
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 2 packages
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks, cubed and softened
Instructions
- Peel and cut potatoes into chunks, boil until tender, mash until smooth, spread on baking sheet to cool completely.
- Stir yeast into warm milk, let stand 10 minutes until foamy.
- Mix cooled mashed potatoes and eggs in stand mixer with paddle attachment until smooth.
- Add yeast mixture to potato mixture.
- Combine flour, salt, and sugar in separate bowl.
- Switch to dough hook, add dry ingredients, mix on low 15 minutes until dough pulls away from bowl.
- Add softened butter gradually while mixing on medium, knead 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place dough in oiled bowl, cover, let rise 1-1.5 hours until doubled.
- Divide dough in half, shape into rounds, rest 10 minutes.
- Shape into logs, place in greased 9×5 loaf pans.
- Cover, let rise 30-45 minutes until 1 inch above pan rim.
- Bake at 375F for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and internal temp reaches 185-190F.
- Remove from pans immediately, cool on wire rack.
