Differences between potato water and filtered
We boiled potatoes to make mashed for yesterday's family dinner and I remembered to keep some of the water to try in making bread. I'm not sure when I'll get around to baking next - possibly not for a couple of days or more - so I figured I'd ask what differences I'm likely to see and what adjustments if any I might want to make beyond simply subbing equal weight of potato water for the filtered I normally use.
Since I'm flying blind atm, my tentative plan is to make a basic no knead loaf with no changes to the recipe aside from the water. But I'm also open to suggestions. We don't boil potatoes often in our house, so I wouldn't mind trying something a little less basic (but still suitable for a newb who has only baked about a dozen loaves so far).
use the potato water rather quickly because it changes.
It is nice to make bread soft
to store the potato water. I just sub it for water with no changes other than watching it to see if it moves along faster (because of the extra starch in potato water) - which it probably will I like yogurt whey in bread too - s straight sub as well but it has a lot of protein in it so the bread is a Super Power Bread :-)
The only way I have used potato water is in potato bread (other than in making gravy which I often do). I have two soft white breads I use boiled potato in -- with whole milk the other with butter milk. Both use eggs, butter, some sugar and bread flour. Makes great sandwich bread, dinner rolls and cinnamon bread. I have never stored it for later use, but at least on the surface don't why would present a problem.
deblacksmith
the potato water for half the liquid and taste it first. It might be rather sweet. Adding more sugar to a recipe is worth thinking about.
If it gets slimy, and pulls threads after several days, ditch it. I find it easier just to boil a cut up potato when I need it for a recipe.
Potato water also makes a good base for a vegetarian soup...but it doesn't freeze well because the potato texture goes all wonky. Mini is right, shelf life is about three days as is, another three if you simmer it well while making soup.
I use potato water often in my breads if I have it. It does improve moistness and keeping quality, and is an especially good counterpoint to rye breads. Freezing the breads is not an issue.
it was Dabrownman who gave the 3-day time limit...one of TFL's other baking gurus!
I did manage to make one loaf before the water got to 3 days old. It was the basic 70% hydration AP no-knead boule I'd made before except made with the potato water. I subbed all the water and it ended up being surprisingly fluffy. Pretty interesting to see how much difference this simple change made.
My second potato experiment used mashed baked sweet potato. I simply added 33% sweet potato to the same base 70% hydration AP no-knead recipe using regular filtered water. The loaf was the fluffiest I've baked so far. The crust seemed somewhat thinner than usual. The sweet potato taste was there but on the faint side. Another interesting result.