Daring Bakers in November: Tender Potato Bread
November 26, 2007 at 12:00 pm | Posted in daring bakers, events, savory things, yeast breads | 60 Comments
Ahhh…finally, today is the day when I can reveal my experience with the latest Daring Bakers challenge– it is something I really look forward to every month. This go-around Tanna from My Kitchen in Half Cups had us roll up our sleeves and bake bread! She chose a recipe for tender potato bread from Home Baking: The Artful Mix of Flour & Tradition Around the World by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. This is a book I have on my own shelf, so I was extra-excited to give the bread recipe a try.
Besides being true to the base recipe, we had to knead the bread by hand (I hadn’t done that in forever!) and it had to be savory. But other than that, Tanna really encouraged us to play around with the shape of our bread and the flavorings used. I did cut the recipe in half, which is my usual MO, because R and I can’t (or shouldn’t) eat sooo much bread. I used the maximum amount of mashed potato suggested by Tanna (16 ounces for a full recipe, or 8 ounces for my half recipe), and I can say that kneading the dough was definitely a sticky process. But it wasn’t impossible on a well-floured surface…as the additional flour was worked in, I could feel the dough gaining structure and becoming easier to handle.
I split my dough into one small loaf and one small focaccia. I kneaded some grated aged cheddar and cracked pepper into the loaf portion just before placing in the pan for its second proof. The cheese bread was soft and had great flavor. I still have half the loaf in my freezer, just waiting to be eaten with a bowl of soup. The dough made for a fantastic focaccia as well– I put olive oil, olives, rosemary and Maldon salt on mine. It had a nice, crisp bottom crust from baking it on a ripping-hot pizza stone.
Thanks Tanna for giving us a good break from the sweet stuff. If you are afraid of yeast, don’t be– bread-baking is a truly satisfying experience! You won’t believe how delicious warm homemade bread is! If you want the recipe for the basic potato bread, look here on Tanna’s site.
And before I go, I’d like to wish a very happy birthday to Daring Bakers! This not so-little-anymore group turned one this month. Started by Lis and Ivonne, just two buddies wanting to make their own pretzels, the group is now more than 300 strong! To see how we all interpreted this month’s potato bread challenge, take a look at The Daring Bakers’ Blogroll.
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I love those olives on the foccaccia. Your photos are great.
Comment by Courtney— November 26, 2007 #
I love how you did this months challenge! I truly enjoyed the focaccia; I used small slivers of potato and sprigs of rosemary.
One question – HOW DID YOU GET YOUR CRUST 🙂 I made this bread twice and never achieved that beautiful of a crust! You must share!
~Lewis
TableBread
Comment by Lewis— November 26, 2007 #
Ooooh, olives. You’re bread looks terrific!
Comment by Shawnda— November 26, 2007 #
Oh, your bread looks so good. Better then mine!
Good job.
Comment by megan— November 26, 2007 #
That looks incredible!!! And I agree with you in that the bread was sticky, but quite manageable adding some flour. See you next month!
Comment by pipinthecity— November 26, 2007 #
OMG! your focaccia looks super yummy with all olives. great job!
Comment by Gigi— November 26, 2007 #
Both the loaf and the focaccia look aboslutely wonderful! Olives and cheese…yum!
Comment by Tartelette— November 26, 2007 #
Wow the breads look delectable…I can relate with the sticky dough..did get worked up with the dough in the beginning..but was fun!!
Comment by rachel— November 26, 2007 #
Your breads look gorgeous! Yummy! Very well done…
Cheers,
Rosa
Comment by Rosa— November 26, 2007 #
Looks lovely, and very satisfying. I bet it’s wonderful with a hot bowl of soup this time of the year!!
Comment by Pille— November 26, 2007 #
you’re bread looks ver yummy… and very soft!
Congratulations!
Comment by Camila— November 26, 2007 #
Wonderful job on the challenge. I am loving the pictures of the focaccia and the loaf together. And what a yummy surprise, aged cheddar!
Comment by Valerie— November 26, 2007 #
Your breads look great…and In agree, the dough was not too bad on a well floured surface 🙂
Comment by sunita— November 26, 2007 #
Ooops! I meant I ‘agree’
Comment by sunita— November 26, 2007 #
How elegant and totally scrumptious. Great going!
Comment by Meeta— November 26, 2007 #
Olive ficcacia. Yummy! Good job!
Comment by Jessica— November 26, 2007 #
Both look wonderfull, but your crumbs look different than mine, interesting.
Comment by Ulrike— November 27, 2007 #
The cheese bread sounds wonderful!
Comment by April— November 27, 2007 #
Your bread looks wonderfully light and tender.
Comment by Katie— November 27, 2007 #
Woah…I am lusting after the gorgeous crumb you got! What a beautiful bread.
Comment by cookworm— November 27, 2007 #
I love the sound of adding cheese, it would have been perfect in this bread!
Comment by brilynn— November 27, 2007 #
Wow what a wonderful crust and crumb you got in your loaves! Great job on this month’s challenge. It is hard to wait to post about it, especially when you want to share with the world! See you next month!!
Comment by breadchick— November 27, 2007 #
I love the way yours looks and what a great idea to half the recipe! Your olive focaccia looks amazing!
Comment by Judy— November 27, 2007 #
Wonderful job! I also love that we made something savory this month 🙂
Great use of cheese and olives. I wish my bread turned out better like yours!
Comment by maria~— November 27, 2007 #
Your olives are so pretty! Yummy!
Comment by Meryl— November 27, 2007 #
Your bread looks gorgeous and I’m in love with that focaccia!
Comment by Anita— November 27, 2007 #
Your foccacia looks so vibrant…love it.
Comment by peabody— November 27, 2007 #
mmmmm! What fantastic looking bread and focaccia. Those olives look incredibly juicy. Great idea on the cheese too. I’m tempted to try some Asiago next time!
Comment by Jen— November 27, 2007 #
Your bread looks so moist and tender – now I know why it’s called Tender potato bread. great job.
Comment by kitten— November 27, 2007 #
Steph, beautiful job on the TPB. Delighted you enjoyed it. I did really enjoy the focaccia, just wish I had a slice now.
Comment by MyKitchenInHalfCups— November 27, 2007 #
wow, your bread looks delicious! great photos.
Comment by augustina— November 27, 2007 #
Your Focaccia looks so yummy! I love the olives.
Great job!
xoxo
Comment by Gabi— November 27, 2007 #
I don’t normally crave olives, but boy do you make me want one looking at that amazing tpb
Comment by Iisha— November 27, 2007 #
Wow! Your focaccia looks awesome. I didn’t go that way…but looking at yours – I think I will try it next time.
Comment by Chris— November 27, 2007 #
Brilliant to half the recipe (why didn’t I think of that) – beautiful photos.
Comment by Caron— November 27, 2007 #
Wow… your photographs captured my attention (and whet my appetite even after an adventurous dinner) and your narrative drew me in. This is another recipe I’m going to repeat… and I look forward to incorporating some of your ideas.
Comment by Dolores— November 27, 2007 #
Your loaf’s crumb looks wonderful–so many yummy pockets! It will go wonderfully with soup. Your focaccia looks great, too!
Comment by Julie— November 27, 2007 #
the focaccia with olives looks mmmmmmyummy!
Comment by Bev— November 27, 2007 #
wow! everything is mouth watering ! love your photos 🙂
Comment by Anne— November 27, 2007 #
That focaccia looks fabulous – moist and chewy!
Comment by Kaykat— November 27, 2007 #
Your bread turned out beautifully. I love the olives, a very nice touch to your focaccia.
Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go
Comment by Sheltie Girl— November 27, 2007 #
Mm, looks so good ^__^ I wish I was daring enough to be a daring baker, but I think I’m too much of a wimp… =P
Comment by Indigo— November 28, 2007 #
Oh my! This looks like I could and would if I could or not, eat it all! I can taste those gorgeous olives in my mouth with a soft, ever so slightly tart bread. MMMMmmm.
Comment by Lydia— November 28, 2007 #
gorgeous, simply gorgeous.
Comment by Mandy— November 28, 2007 #
now that is a gorgeous loaf! and the fococcia….yum! fabulous job!
Comment by monica— November 28, 2007 #
Looks fantastic! It was sticky dough though, wasn’t it? Oh boy!
Comment by Clumsy— November 28, 2007 #
The focaccia texture is perfect!
Comment by Claire— November 28, 2007 #
If I hadn’t eaten all my olives last weekend, in a fridge rampage, I think I would have added them too, now I can see what I am missing out on. Bugger!
Comment by cupcaketastic— November 28, 2007 #
Ummmm, I want to taste all of it 🙂
Comment by Cynthia— November 29, 2007 #
Great looking bread! And the focaccia looks amazing…
Comment by Inne— November 29, 2007 #
Oh my those olives! That bread! What a great combination. Mmmmm.
Comment by chronicler— November 29, 2007 #
I really wish I would have done olives – all of the foccacias with olives look so tasty to me. Great job on this challenge!
Comment by Deborah— November 29, 2007 #
Great job with the bread challenge! Your photos are wonderful!
Comment by Paula— November 29, 2007 #
I love the loaf with the cheese in it. What a great idea.
Comment by Cheryl— November 30, 2007 #
Hmmm now cheese would have been good in mine!
Looks great, btw.
Comment by Jenny— December 1, 2007 #
Beautiful pictures, and the crumb of your loaf is amazing! Great job with that and the focaccia.
Comment by Christina— December 1, 2007 #
So smart of you to divide the recipe in half…it does make a lot. Your foccacia is beautiful with those whole olives. Nice loaf, too. It was especially nice of you to wish the DBs happy birthday!
Comment by Elle— December 2, 2007 #
Look at the gorgeous crumb on that bread! Well done!
Comment by Ivonne— December 3, 2007 #
The crust on your loaf turned out so beautiful! I would love to have a slice of that!
Comment by Andrea— December 11, 2007 #
Could those olives be any more gorgeous!?!
Comment by Sarah— December 15, 2007 #