Wheat Potato Bread

This was a an adaptation of an old recipe. I increased the potatoes, used more whole wheat flour, and replaced the AP flour with bread flour. The result was two (very) large loaves of beautiful bread. You can make it as three regular sized loaves as well.

You Will Need:

3 1/2 cups whole milk, scalded
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup mashed potatoes
4 1/2 teaspoons granulated yeast
1/2 cup potato water (from boiling potatoes) lukewarm
4 cups whole wheat flour
6-7 cups (or more) bread flour

Scald the milk and pour over the sugar, butter, salt and mashed potatoes in a large bowl. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

In a small bowl, proof the yeast in lukewarm potato water until foamy.

When milk has cooled, stir in yeast, four cups of flour and 1 cup bread flour. Using a hand mixer on high, beat for two minutes. Stir in enough remaining bread flour until the dough is no longer sticky and can be easily kneaded. Work until smooth. Place in a very large greased bowl, turn to coat, and cover. let rise until doubled-about two hours. Punch down dough and let rise again until doubled-about another hour.

Punch dough down again and let rest ten minutes. While it rests, butter pans generously and sprinkle each with about a tablespoon of cornmeal. Knock out excess. Fit bread into pans, dust tops lightly with AP flour, and cover lightly. Let rise until almost doubled-about 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake loaves 40-45 minutes (depending on size) until they are nicely browned, sound hollow when rapped or reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. Cool on racks.