Daring Bakers November: One cannot live on bread alone

It's that time of month again, where the food blogging world is alive with posts all making the same recipe. This month the hens went on strike, and the cows needed some time off, so no mountains of eggs, and no vat loads of heavy cream were used in the creation of what might end up being 400 loaves of Tender Potato Bread, all courtesy of the Daring Bakers! That's right, the Daring Bakers have grown to the 400 number, and while not everyone did this month's challenge recipe, I am sure I am not the only person who made more than one batch of it.

We owe this months' recipe to Tanna, our hostess for the month of November. She challenged us to follow the recipe exactly, to a certain point, and then let loose the Daring Baker in us and see what we could come up with.

What I came up with was one very huge loaf of bread. And I do mean HUGE!

My bread baking experience started with a question - how many ounces in a pound? It's 16, btw, in case you didn't know. So for me, 1 1/2 potatoes was enough to get me between the 8 and 16 ounce guideline given to us for the quantity of potato needed for the recipe. I am so glad that weight was given, because if I had followed the 4 medium potatoes, I'd have had over 3 pounds of potato in my bread! And that would have been way too much!

Yes, this dough was a bit sticky, but other than that, it was nice to work with. It rose nicely, it baked up quickly and with a good crust, and it tasted mighty fine, warm, slathered with butter.

I wish I could say I enjoyed it the next day, but I didn't. I guess I am an eat bread warm from the oven kind of girl. Oh well.

Seeing as this was my challenge recipe, I did have to make it more than once. (Okay, maybe have to is a bit strong - I wanted to.) So last week I pulled out my potatoes and got working on a second batch of the bread, making a very large Focaccia instead of a loaf, studded with lots of scallions, and topped with fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper, which I served with a homemade cauliflower soup. (Sorry, all my pictures for that one turned out blurry and boring, so no pictures!) Fingers of the focaccia were perfect for sopping up the soup.

I'm not sure if I will make this bread again, it will go into the "Maybe" tab of my Daring Bakers' recipe binder. While we enjoyed the flavor of it warm, after the first day no one in my house ate it. The children, who had inhaled it the first night, each took a bite the next day then turned up their noses and asked for something else. Feed back from my test guinea pigs (friends) was favorable, even for the next day, unless I am making it for a large crowd, I can see alot of bread going to waste.

Many thanks to Tanna for this month's recipe, not something I would have thought to try on my own. Be sure to check out as many of the other Daring Baker's blogs as you can, before you get sick of bread!





40 comments:

Peabody said...

I made small loaves and got 5 so I can only imagine how big one loaf would be! Looks good.

breadchick said...

The bread did take on a bit of a heavy taste the next day. I found it great toasted the 2nd day. Good job on your challenge this month and I love to see your recipe tacked up on your cupboards.

Jen Yu said...

Mmm, well it looks good to me! My favorite way to eat bread is to stack it with lots of stuff in between. Potato bread is great in sandwiches. Glad you did the focaccia too - I rather liked that more than the bread. Good job!

-jen at use real butter

slush said...

I tape my recipes to the cupboards too! Your bread looks great, and I like it fresh out of the oven as well. But it is a keeper for me. Although my favorite was the dried cherry chocolate that I made on the 2nd batch. Mm. Was soo good toasted and slathered with butter.

Gabi said...

I agree with Breadchick about toasting it- give it a try- the crispy crust returns and the crumb is not so heavy when toasted.
Your bread turned out great!
Nice job!
xoxo

Julius said...

Your bread looks wonderful. Mine was at its best after being toasted.

Saw your post on DB - get well soon! :)

Julius from Occasional Baker

Gretchen Noelle said...

I *love* your post! I made the bread twice, watched it sit around after the first day or so as well! I too am not so certain that I would attempt this particular recipe again. Great job...I would have loved to see the foccacia!

Unknown said...

The picture of bread with butter is so yummy looking. I don't know if I'll make this again, but it was definitely a good bread.

Helene said...

Not seeing your recipes taped to the cupboard would make me realy sad...You did a wonderful job, the loaf looks great. I hope you feel better too.

Gigi said...

mmm, looks good. great crust on your loaf.

Dolores said...

My "small loaf" turned out large, and my large loaf was ginormous, so I can only imainge what yours must have looked like. As for the leftovers, I had some success with reheating the loaf when slicing it for company, with toasting the bread for sandwiches, and with making a savory french toast for brunch.

Karen Baking Soda said...

Love to see your cupboards again! I think you are right, eat it on bake day is best. I wondered about the size of the potatoes too. Used 3 in my opinion small ones, and had 11 oz! Thought all things American were bigger...

Julie said...

Your bread looks delicious! I love your blue bread pan, too. I'm maybe too giddy about how it matches your wall. Bummer you didn't like it past day one. I think I ate off what was left of the loaf for about three or four days after my sandwich party the day after I baked the loaf. I bought four potatoes thinking it would be just enough, but I ended up using only one.

Bev and Ollie "O" said...

your bread looks beautiful! I must admit I always prefer fresh warm bread from the oven. Although the focaccia was so good we ate that before the next day!

Anne said...

the loaf of bread looks great to me...and yes same as you this challenge is my least favorite but I'm still happy i made a go with for the experience :)

BC said...

My family enjoyed it the next day but we left it unwrapped since it was so moist. When we wrapped it the first time, the leftovers were not so great.

Sheltie Girl said...

You bread turned out beautifully. I'm sorry your pictures of the focaccia turned out blurry. I hear you about the kids not eating it the next day...my children liked my gluten free version made with red beets (beet root). However, three days later I couldn't get them to touch it.

Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

Meeta K. Wolff said...

You made one huge loaf?!!! Schucks that must have been HUGE! Looks darned good to me!

Anonymous said...

The focaccia with cauliflower soup sounds delicious. And your large loaf looks wonderful. How about a savory bread pudding with the leftover bread?

Freya said...

Good job! Looks delicious and tender! I am loving the picture with the butter!

Alpineberry Mary said...

Great job as always! I was amazed by how much bread this recipe yielded too. I made a ton of bread crumbs with my leftovers.

cupcaketastic said...

I think agree about your second day issue, what was left went out in the lunches and came back only half eaten. I should be toasted the 2nd day. your loaves look fabulous.

Robyn said...

Your picture shows bread my favorite way. Warm with melted butter! The best. And a HUGE loaf to enjoy it at that. Nice entry!

Deborah said...

I didn't try my loaf fresh on the day I made it - maybe that's why I didn't care for the loaf that much. It does make quite a large loaf, doesn't it!!?!

Cheryl said...

Wow, that is a huge loaf. Next time call me over and will eat the leftovers the next day.

marias23 said...

I agree with you that after the first day, the potato dough loses some appeal. I think toasting it might've helped :) Next time, maybe?

Ilva said...

the loveliness of the crust is one of it's main attractions I find but it disappears far too fast!

iCook2live said...

Awh man. I wanted to see that soup!!!.

Canadian Baker said...

I got a lot of bread too. Your looks great!

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

As always you are a wonder. While this seem to rise like magic it certainly did make a huge amount of dough. And wow I sure am glad you found out that four medium potatoes don't automatically translate to a pound.

Half Baked said...

I got a lot of leftover bread as well. It's pretty good toasted with butter, but I too found it a little bland the next day. yours turned out very nice (and large!!)

Christine said...

Your bread looks wonderful, great job!

Christina ~ She Runs, She Eats

steph- whisk/spoon said...

it was too much bread for us to eat also, even thought i just made a half batch. i wrapped up leftovers and popped them in the freezer the same day as baked. am hoping that they will still be good! the focaccia sounds great with soup!

Elle said...

It does make a LOT of bread. Too bad your family didn't like it the next day. There is always bread pudding :)

creampuff said...

I love how you post the recipe on your cupboards!!! I think your loaf looks grand!

Thistlemoon said...

This sure was a delicious recipe wasn't it! Your looks HUGE!

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

What a huge loaf! I didn't weigh the potatoes - I'm guessing they weighed a lot based on how sticky the dough was. We preferred the bread toasted but I think the focaccia was the best I've ever tasted. How's that for modesty?! tee hee...

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Your bread looks gorgeous! I love that warm slice with the melting butter... Well done!

Cheers,

Rosa

Inne said...

Your bread looks wonderful Quellia - and so does your bread pan. Love the pic of the recipe taped to your kitchen cabinets!

Andrea said...

Your bread looks so good, especially with the butter on top! :-)