Shaker Potato Bread

This recipe from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Bread, is from a Shaker recipe. I had a lot of mashed potatoes left from making  Shepherd's Pie, and was in the mood to make bread, so I thought I would try this recipe. Its accredited to a Sister Jennie.

Shaker Potato Bread

1 cup plain mashed potatoes
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
1/2 cup hot water (120-130 degrees)
4 to 5 cups bread or all-purpose flour (I used all-purpose since I was out of bread flour)
1/2 cup butter at room temperature

Sponge

In the mixer bowl combine mashed potatoes, eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, yeast, water, 2 cups flour. Stir with flat spatula blade into rough batter.

First Rising

Cover bowl and let sit 90 minutes or till doubles in volumes Meanwhile beat butter with remaining 1/4 cup sugar till creamy and set aside.

Dough

Punch down sponge and stir in  butter mixture, add flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Change to dough hook when dough gets to heavy. Knead with dough hook, adding flour a little bit at a time, as necessary, for 10 minutes, or till dough is smooth and elastic.

Second Rising

Put dough in bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and let rise till about double in volume. Punch down dough and let sit for  few minutes. Cut dough  and shape to fit two greased medium bread pans.

Third Rising

Cover pans with parchment of wax paper, and place in warm place to rise till  above rim of pans.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake till golden brown, about 40 minutes. Bread should sound hollow when tapped on bottom. Cool on wire racks.

Very tasty. Definitely a hit. I would do this again any time I have some left over mashed potatoes and a need to make bread!