Potato Bread

The Tassajara Bread Book is a phenomenal book with incredible and easy recipes for homemade bread.

One thing I will say about these recipes is they take a very long time (3 hours of rising time alone) - the recipe that I did yesterday is a variation on the Yeasted Bread. Basically, you add mashed potatoes to it! I had some left over from the other night, and have been dying to try a good potato bread recipe after having it when I worked for Bruce at Bruce's Kitchen on Salt Spring Island. This came out a lot less dense than I expected, which honestly isn't a bad thing! I swear I could eat a whole loaf to myself!

With the Yeasted Bread, you first create what's called a sponge, which is the activated yeast mixture (yeast, lukewarm water, honey) and about half of the flour needed for the recipe. You then cover this and let it rise for 45 minutes. I couldn't believe how much this stage rose! It stuck to the towel I had covered it with and I had to use a new one for the next few steps!

Yes, i'm cheating a little bit using the electric mixer - but time is important when you're worried your baby is going to wake up any minute, or you've got him trying to crawl up your leg in an attempt to vie for your attention!

The sponge, ready to rise.

The sponge, fully risen.

At this point, you add the salt and oil (you can use butter, but I used Avocado Oil - a lovely, light, flavourful oil that helps fight free radicals, lowers cholesterol levels and is loaded with vitamin E!). Fold these ingredients in, along with the potatoes. After this, I folded in the remaining flour and then dumped the dough out onto a floured board and kneaded it until it was smooth and shiny (about 10 minutes). This was when things got a little bit tricky, because Jaxson woke up and was starting to fuss and complain that I wasn't paying attention to him. Luckily, he's relatively easy to distract, especially if it's with something that makes noise! He loves "helping" me out in the kitchen by banging things together! So, by giving him the wok and some metal measuring cups, I was able to hold him off long enough to get the dough kneaded and in the oiled bowl for the second rise!

An hour later, the dough was overflowing! Gorgeous! Easy step here, all you do is punch it down 5 or 6 times, cover it again and let it rise for another 40 minutes. 

Beautiful!

After this final rise, you shape the dough into balls, knead it very briefly and then shape it into loaves. Let it rise for 20 minutes while the oven is preheating and then brush it with an egg wash and bake it at 350 for 1 hour. Once again, at this point Jaxson was not a very happy camper. Granted, I had interrupted his nursing so I could do this. And this boy can move! He learned how to crawl about a month ago now, and there's no stopping him. He's fast, and he's into everything! He especially likes books and our Yuki's toys (our dog). To contain him, I put him in his high chair and started heating up food for him: this will often hold him off long enough for me to get the last of the dishes done, or in this case, the final step of the bread!

Ready to be shaped into loaves.

The finished product! Beautiful, fluffy, chewy goodness!

After only 20 minutes our tiny little basement suite smelled absolutely incredible! Warm, inviting, homey aromas permeated the entire place- I could bathe in that smell! Fresh bread is one of the best and most earthy, relaxing scents I know!

I started this endeavour at about 3pm and the bread was finished baking and cooling on the rack at about 8pm... So as I said, a long process, but so worth it! 

We enjoyed the bread when Adrian got home from a long day at work with a carrot-squash soup that he had made and a beautiful salad! Yum, best dinner i've had in a while!