Hairy Bikers Bakeation Challenge - Germany

Whoops!  I've slacked off for a couple of weeks on my Bakeation Challenge, but I did 'Jubilee' it instead, so I won't feel too guilty.  This weekend I'm having a go at the German Potato Bread recipe or Kartoffelbrot.  I would dearly love to try the Riesling Wine Cake and the German Bee Sting Cake, but until I can start running again to offset the calories, a bread recipe it shall be!

I used up some old Charlotte potatoes that had started sprouting for this recipe and am doing the all white flour version. 

Its seems very odd adding potatoes to a bread dough, but it should make it super moist.  You use so little water than usual, that it will be interesting to see how it works out.

Potatoes were boiled and mashed well.  Then the liquid was added to the mix.....

Followed by gradually adding the flour.....................

I have again kneaded mine in the Kenwood, but only for 5 minutes before popping it out onto a floured work surface and kneading lightly for a further minute. 

Last weekend I made another Scandinavian Rye bread or at least tried too.  I must have left it in the Kenwood too long (only 7 or so minutes) as it felt rather sticky, not smooth and pliable as it should.  Still I shaped it, let it prove and popped it in the oven.  It looked great for the first 20 minutes of baking and then it totally deflated.  This along with my baking pride.  Another lesson learnt.  Using the Kenwood is great for relieving the shoulders, but there is a real fine line between a perfect knead and over-doing it!  I digress, back to the Potato Bread.....................

I let the dough prove for an hour in an oiled bowl, then popped the lovely soft dough out on a floured surface and squashed it.

It was almost like you could feel the softness added by the potato.  I folded it in on itself and left the dough to prove again for about 30 minutes. 

I slashed the top and scattered the onion seeds over the top (also known as nigella seeds) and popped it into a 200c fan oven.  I only needed to bake mine for 27 minutes, but I had managed to knock the temperature up by 10c for the first 10 minutes or so of baking.  Either way, check it well before the suggested baking time.

And voila!  One Kartoffelbrot loaf and boy is it moist.  You can't really taste the potato in it, but it gives a lovely texture to the bread and is surprisingly light and airy .  I had mine simply with some goats cheese.  Delicious.  I was sceptical about trying it, but really glad I did!

Next weekend its Eastern Europe where I get to choose from Slovakia, Hungary and Romania!

Happy baking!