Want to bake fresh bread at home? Worried that it's a daunting task? Not anymore! This cheesy potato bread is the easiest yeasted bread recipe you will ever bake which will taste amazing as well!
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr10 minutesmins
Method: Baking
Course: Breads
Servings: 24Slices (2 Loaves)
Ingredients
½ozactive dry yeast2 packages (¼ oz each)
2tablespoonssugar
½cupwarm water110° to 115°
1cuphalf-and-half cream
5tablespoonsbuttermelted, divided
1tablespoonsalt
1teaspoondried Italian seasoning
¼teaspoonred chili flakescrushed
⅛teaspooncayenne pepper
5 and ½ to 6cupsall-purpose flour
2cupspotatoesfinely shredded peeled
1cupcheddar cheeseshredded
Instructions
Add yeast, sugar, and warm water to a large bowl and whisk together until it's dissolved. Leave it until foamy, for about 5 minutes.
To the foamy yeast mixture add cream, 3 tablespoons butter, salt, herb seasoning, crushed pepper, cayenne pepper, and 2-½ cups flour; beat on medium for 2 minutes.
Stir in potatoes and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. I added about 3 and ¼ cups of flour. You may end up adding more or less the same.
Flour a large cutting board or the kitchen counter and turn the dough onto it. Keep kneading until smooth and elastic. It may take 8-10 minutes. The dough will be a little sticky. You can grease your hand/fingers with some oil and it would make the job easier.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled for about 1 hour. I prefer placing the bowl in the oven with the light on. This mild warmth will help in rising especially if it's wintertime.
On a floured surface punch the dough down. Pat into a ½-in.-thick rectangle.
Sprinkle cheese evenly over dough.
Fold dough over the cheese and knead it well. Divide the dough in half.
Shape into two round loaves; place in greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
While the dough is doubling in size preheat the oven at 400F/200C.
Cut an X on top of each loaf; brush with remaining butter. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks. Mine looked done after 35 minutes. Also, another tip to check for the doneness of bread is to tap the bottom of the bread by thumping it like a drum with your thumb. The bread will sound hollow if it's done.
Notes
I tried the same potato bread recipe with whole milk instead of cream the next time I baked it and didn't notice any difference at all. I presume that evaporated milk will also be a good substitute for the cream.
I add some dried Italian herb seasoning and crushed red chili flakes which was not mentioned in the original recipe and which I assume enhanced the aroma and taste of this potato bread.
The nutrition information of the bread is on the basis that each loaf is cut into 12 slices.
Taste & Texture
I was convinced that this bread recipe was a winner just by the aroma it spread across the house. It only got confirmed further when I sliced it and was able to witness the beautiful texture of the airy bread! I felt like a pro!
When the slice was toasted lightly and spread with salted butter the taste was simply heaven! You have to try it believe me!