Mom's Crusty White Potato Bread

Submitted by RussianMama

"This is a bread that bakes with a hard crust on the outside and soft flavorful bread inside. For me, the crust comes out a bit dark but it might just be my oven. The flavor is superb though! To decrease rising time, I set up a space heater on my granite counters to warm the counters and increase the air temperature near the dough.I have taken 1/4 of the ingredients and made it successfully in the bread machine, too!"

 

• Ready In: 3hrs
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 4 loaves
• Serves: 24

ingredients

• 3⁄8 cup dry yeast
• 4 cups warm water
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons instant potato flakes
• 1⁄3 cup wheat gluten
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 12 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg yolk (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

directions

1. Mix warm water, yeast, sugar, potato flakes and gluten in a small bowl. Let sit till foamy.
2. Transfer yeast mixture to a mixing bowl (Bosch, Kitchen aid or by hand).
3. Add salt, 1 cup of oil, eggs and 4 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and mix with a wire wisk till all is throroughly combined and smooth.
4. Change to your kneading attachment and slowly add the remaining 8 cups of flour. Mix on low for 15 minutes or knead by hand until smooth.
5. Put the remaining 2 T oil into a large bowl, greasing the sides where the dough will touch.
6. Place dough in greased bowl and let rise till double. About one hour.
7. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
8. Punch down and divide into 4 loaf pans, let rise till double. About 30 minutes.
9. Brush risen loaves with egg yolk and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
10. Place in oven for 15 minutes.
11. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees, keeping the loaves in the oven, set the timer for 45 minutes.
12. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Remove loaves from pan and place on a wire rack to cool.
13. Slice and spread with butter. Yummy!

Reviews

[jitka_burger]

I quartered the recipe and didn't brush the loaf with egg yolk, just sprayed with water and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The crust was soft, but that was what I was after, since it was for my kids who don't eat crust anyway. My daughters got back to school and ate the whole loaf (which was quite big) in 20 minutes! I have made it many times since and I will make it again. It's very soft, very airy, very tasty. Thanks a lot for sharing it with us!

 

[Sydney Mike]

I did cut this recipe in half & adjusted the ingredient amounts accordingly, gifting 1 loaf to a neighbor couple! I'm not usually one to make white bread (or use it, for that matter), but I do recall the taste of potato bread, & the flavor from this recipe's bread is every bit as great as what I remember! Thanks for jogging some pleasant memories! [Made & reviewed for an adoptee in this Spring's round of Pick A Chef]