There are some great things about summer… the produce, the weather, and the simple meals.
This potato bread is a loaf you can make over and over again and count on it for great sandwiches. It bakes up large and has a great moist texture. The buttermilk in it gives it some great flavor, too. I love to make this potato bread with sweet potatoes, or yams, and then reduce down the amount of sugar I add to it by 1 tablespoon. You can use just about any kind of potato, but yukon golds, sweet potatoes or starchy white potatoes work the best. I wouldn’t recommend any potato that is too waxy.
It’s a simple bread recipe to follow. Start with some warm, cooked sweet potatoes and room temperature butter and buttermilk.
Then add them to the mixer, and start adding flour. Knead until you get a soft dough.
Put in a large bowl and let rise for 1 and 1/2 hours.
Divide into two loaf pans and let rise again.
Bake and let cool.
Potato perfection!
Slice this up and make a couple sandwiches for a picnic or a simple supper on a hot summer weeknight! You’ll love having this one in your recipe file.
- 3/4 cup cooked sweet potatoes (2 small sweet potatoes should do it), lightly mashed and peel removed
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), very soft
- 2 cups buttermilk (room temperature)
- 2 packages (1 1/2 tablespoons) active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 6 1/4 to 6 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 egg (for egg wash, optional)
- pinch of salt (for egg wash, optional)
- Make the sweet potatoes. You can also bake them in the oven a few days ahead of time and microwave them for 1-2 minutes when you are ready to make the bread. Peel them before using, and measure out 3/4 cup. Eat or save the rest for later.
- Put the warm potatoes in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and stir together. Add the buttermilk, yeast, eggs, sugar and salt and mix well.
- Gradually stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time, until moist but not sticky. When the dough comes together, knead for 10 to 12 minutes by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth, soft, and elastic.
- Transfer it to an oiled bowl and turn it once to coat the dough with oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Meanwhile grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Punch down the dough and divide it in half. Form it into two loaves by rolling each half into a 8x10 rectangle. Starting with the short end, roll into a loaf shape and place seam side down in the loaf pan. Repeat with the second half of dough. Cover the loaf pans with oiled plastic wrap. Let the loaves rise until nearly doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Just before baking, whisk the egg with a pinch of salt. Brush the tops of the loaves evenly. Bake until the crust is golden and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped, 40-45 minutes. You may want to check it to make sure the tops are not browning too quickly. If they are, tent with foil. Remove to a rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- You can use regular baking potatoes for this too, but you will want to increase the sugar to 2 tablespoons for a similar flavor.
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