SUSAN'S IRISH POTATO BREAD

Susan's Irish Potato Bread image

I made this using the leftover half of Colleen Sowa's http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/side/potatoes/irish-fried-potato-bread-and-irish-butter.html dough. I have updated my recipe to include the mashed potato batter measurements, so it can be made without making her recipe first. The measurements are all approximate, because it...

Provided by Susan Feliciano

Time 3h10m

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

MASHED POTATO BATTER
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 c milk
1/2 c all purpose flour
1 egg (optional)
TO MAKE BREAD
1 1/2 c very warm water
1/3 c instant dry milk
1 Tbsp sorghum, honey, or molasses
2 1/2 c whole wheat flour
2 1/4 tsp rapid rise yeast (or one package active dry yeast)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c (approximate) bread flour

Steps:

1. Boil potatoes until soft; drain, and mash as for mashed potatoes. You can save the drained water and use it for part of the warm water in the recipe. Stir butter, salt, milk, and flour into the mashed potatoes. Add in the egg, well beaten, if desired. Beat this batter until smooth and allow to cool to lukewarm.
2. In a stand mixing bowl, mix together the warm water, dry milk, sorghum, 1/2 cup of the whole wheat flour, and yeast. Let sit for 20 minutes.
3. With paddle beater, beat in the mashed potato mixture until smooth. Then beat in the rest of the whole wheat flour and the salt.
4. Using the dough hook, start blending and kneading in the bread flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. Add until the dough becomes very elastic, but is still sticky, not smooth. You would not want to knead it by hand at this point. The amount of flour this will take is totally dependent on the moisture in the potato mixture.
5. When dough is elastic but still sticky, cover and place in a warm place for 1-2 hours. I rest mine over a dishpan of hot water. Dough should double in bulk. Punch down and let rise a second time for 1 hour.
6. Partway through second rising time, grease 2 large bread pans (or you can use 8-9" dutch ovens with lids). At end of rising time, preheat oven to 375° for bread pans, or 450° for dutch ovens. Divide dough in half and turn into prepared pans. Let dough rise in warm place for 15 minutes while oven is preheating. If using dutch ovens, cover with lid.
7. To bake: For bread pans, bake for 30-35 minutes, until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove immediately to rack to cool. For dutch ovens, bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake 10 minutes longer. Turn out immediately onto rack to cool. Allow loaves to cool completely uncovered for best crust consistency.