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
Preparation of Mashed Potatoes
Remove the skins from the potatoes and chop them into pieces. Put the potato pieces into a cooking pot and add enough cold water to completely submerge them.
The water should not contain any salt.
Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and mash them while they are still hot until smooth.
Spread the mashed potatoes on a sheet pan to cool completely. The mashed potatoes can also be made a day prior and refrigerated until you are ready to bake.
If you are utilizing leftover, seasoned mashed potatoes, you do not need to add any salt to the dough.
Making the Dough
Combine the yeast with the milk in a small bowl and allow it to foam for about 10 minutes.
Combine the cooled mashed potato with the eggs in a large mixing bowl using a paddle mixer on low speed until you create a smooth mix. After mixing the potato and egg mixture, add the yeast mixture and continue mixing.
In another bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, salt, and granulated sugar.
Change from the paddle mixer attachment to the dough hook attachment on your mixer. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl.
After about 15 minutes of continuous mixing on low speed, the dough will be thick and smooth and should separate from the bowl while being worked. This long kneading time is necessary to build the gluten structure before the addition of the fat.
With the mixer running at medium speed, add the softened butter a few cubes at a time. Continue mixing for approximately 10 minutes or until the butter has been fully incorporated and the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Proofing the Dough
Lightly coat the inside of a large bowl with oil. Place the dough into the bowl, turning it over in the oil to coat the entire surface.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1-1½ hours until the dough has doubled in volume.
Shaping and Proofing the Loaves
Turn the dough out onto an unfloured surface. If the dough is sticky but manageable, you can lightly oil your hands.
Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a round and allow it to rest on the work surface for approximately 10 minutes.
Shape each round into a log and place it seam-side down into a greased 9″x5″ loaf pan.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow the loaves to rise in a warm area for 30-45 minutes until the dough has risen approximately 1 inch above the rim of the pan.
Baking the Bread
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust is a deep golden brown and the internal temperature has reached 185°F to 190°F.
Remove the loaves from the pans and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Brushing the tops with melted butter while they are still warm from the oven will give the bread a softer, shinier crust.
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.
