This is to answer the question on how to perhaps prepare this w/out a bread machine. So here goes:
1. Take 1/2 cup of the water needed and heat until warm about 110-115 degrees F. Mix this with the yeast and the sugar. Allow to bubble in an oven on WARM for 20 minutes.
In the mean time mix together 1 cup of flour needed and the 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes, set aside.
2. Melt the butter, salt and remaining water (3/4 cup) until WARM (see temp above) and add to the first yeast mixture.
3. Then add the flour/instant mashed potato flakes to the liquids. Then, I would add the remaining flour as needed.
4. Knead dough for 10 minutes, then set aside to rise until doubled about 1 hour. Once it has risen, punch dough down and let rest 5 minutes. Then, shape dough as you want, put in bread pan, as rolls in 9x13" dish, etc. Allow to rise again, for about 45 minutes. Bake rolls at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Bake bread for 40-45 minutes or until done.
Good Luck!
This bread was the BEST!! My bread machine did great mixing it. I followed the suggestion of "spooning" the flour into the cup rather than scooping and I added 1/4 cup more water. I did make a couple of additional changes. I used 3/4 cup instant mashed potatoes and reduced the bread flour to 3 cups. I wanted a bit more potato flavor. I also added a teaspoon of minced garlic and 2 teaspoons of taragon. I served this with minestrone soup on a cold snowy day! Great light loaf of yummy bread!!
I haven't tasted this bread yet (now in my oven) but want to pass along my oversight that may have cost me a loaf of reputedly great bread: I followed the recipe as listed and gleaned/used some good tips from the reviews (increasing potato flakes while decreasing bread flour; adding more water). Started the machine....all was well. About an hour or more into the process saw the smoke pouring from my machine! Long and short I pulled the plug scraped the pathetically emerging goop into a bread pan and parked it in my oven (looks promising so far). The stuff had ballooned way over my machine's capability (1 1/2 pounds)....so I checked the recipe. I don't know how it was originally posted but my "copy" showed a serving size of 15 (no telling what size machine/loaf that would provide). So - my query & warning: there was no bread machine SIZE (of finished loaf) provided and I doubt my 1 1/2 pound machine should be able to feed 15. I probably needed to halve this recipe - but not being a bread baker (or bread machine user) I didn't think to analyze amounts. Do as I advise - not as I did! Be sure of your machine's capabilities!! I'll let you know if the transfer to the oven worked!
WHAT A BREAD!!! This is the most fabulous bread I have tasted.. it's very moist inside and the inside has a slight texture of sourdough but not sour..a little chewy that makes wonderful sandwiches.. and the crust is crunchy.. it is my favorite white bread ever.. I needed to use an additional 2 tbs of water over the 1 1/4 cups of water.. and also used the seasoned butter/herb potato flakes..only because it was all I had available.... everyone enjoy....
I sure thought I had reviewed this a long time ago because I've made it lots of times. It's so good and I love making it into 15 rolls and put in a greased 9x13 dish. Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes. Make in my bread maker on the dough cycle.
delicious. and a family favorite. I use the bread machine on dough only and bake in the oven shaping it like a french loaf
This potato bread is FANTASTIC...I was in the middle of baking the bread in the bread machine when we had a power failure. I took it out of the bread pan and finished baking it in the oven. Was not sure how it would turn out but after slicing it and eating a slice just now I can say it is the best "FROM SCRATCH" bread I have ever made.. Thanks Annette for sharing your wonderful recipe. Jill Stanley
Great toasting bread - VERY crunchy! I did follow other reviewer's recommendations and increased the potato flakes to 3/4 and water to 1 1/2 cups. The second time I made it I also decreased the salt to 1 tsp. I won't have to buy the English toasting bread anymore - this is perfect. Lovely soft white bread for sandwiches too!
this is excellent - I added 1/2 cup of finely minced ham and 1/2 cup of finely chopped green onion and turned it into 8 beautiful buns. thank you for this recipe my family loved it:)
