Kartoffelbrot
Kartoffelbrot: soft wheat loaf made with mashed potato
Kartoffelbrot was born of thrift in the potato regions of the Palatinate, Thuringia and Brandenburg, when bakers stretched scarce flour with boiled potatoes. The happy result is a loaf with a thin, crackly crust and a soft, moist, slightly sweet crumb that stays fresh for four or five days. It is a favourite for Sunday breakfast, for toast, and for sandwiches with butter and chives. A common mistake is using warm, wet mash, which makes the dough sloppy; the potatoes should be floury, mashed dry and completely cool. Chef's tip: save 100 ml of the potato cooking water and use it in the dough instead of plain water, for an even softer crumb.
- Total time
- 185 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Boil the 12 ½ oz floury potatoes in unsalted water for 15–20 minutes until a knife slides in. Drain, keeping the water, then let them steam dry in the pan for 2 minutes. Mash until smooth and leave to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
50 minStep 2: Mix the 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, ¼ oz dried yeast, 1 tsp sugar and ⅜ oz salt in a large bowl. Add 300 g of the cold mash, the ¾ cup potato cooking water, cooled, 2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil and 1 tsp caraway seeds if using. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, soft and only slightly sticky; add a spoon of flour if it clings badly.
12 minStep 3: Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled.
60 minStep 4: Shape into a long oval loaf, dust with the 1 tbsp extra flour and lay seam side down on a lined tray. Prove for 30–40 minutes until puffy. Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan).
35 minStep 5: Slash the top once, then bake for 35–40 minutes, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath. Cool on a rack for 1 hour before slicing.
40 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kartoffelbrot take?
- About 185 minutes in total: 140 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of floury potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
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