Potato Bread Rolls

I’ve made quite a few different types of bread, and this dough was the softest I’ve ever worked with. The dough rose faster and higher than any other bread I’ve made, which resulted in very light and airy rolls. Total perfection.

A delicious way to use leftover mashed potatoes The recipe can be doubled, halved, or varied in other ways to suit the quantity of leftovers or your personal preference. These can be served with ketchup or any other dipping sauce.

Potato Bread Rolls

Makes 24 rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• ½ cup hot mashed potatoes
• ¼ cup shortening
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1 cup milk, scalded **
• 1 egg
• 4-4½ cups flour, sifted

Seps:

1. In a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl) combine the potatoes, shortening, sugar, salt and hot milk. Set it aside and let it cool to lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in ¼ cup warm water. Let it rest for 4-5 minutes (it will foam up) and then add to the potato mixture. Add the egg and mix until just combined. Stir in 2 cups of flour and mix. Add in another 2 cups flour, and then gradually add up to the remaining ½ cup until the dough is nice and soft. Knead lightly on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic.
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once so the dough surface is also greased. Cover with a clean towel and let it rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
3. Spray 2 muffin tins with Pam, then drop dough evenly into the cups–making 24 rolls. Cover and let rise for another hour.
4. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes. Let the rolls cool for a few minutes before removing them from the muffin tin. Serve immediately while warm.

**How to Scald Milk
Some baking recipes call for scalded milk; that is, milk brought nearly to a boil and then cooled down. Scalded milk makes yeast breads lighter and sponge cakes springier. It also helps dissolve sugar and melt butter, and extracts the most flavor from vanilla beans, cinnamon, citrus peels, and other flavor agents. Best of all, it’s easy.

-Heat the milk until bubbles appear around the edge of the pan. Then cool it about 5 minutes before slowly beating it in the mashed potatoes.