Joyce's Potato Wheat Bread (ABM)

This bread machine recipe blends bread flour, whole wheat flour, potato flakes, wheat germ, and vital wheat gluten into a soft, well-structured loaf with a light crumb. Set it on the white cycle with a light crust and let the machine handle everything.

Potato flakes are the ingredient that makes this bread exceptionally soft and moist. The starch from the potatoes holds water, which keeps the crumb tender for days instead of going stale and dry by the next morning.

Vital wheat gluten is added to compensate for the whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour has less gluten strength than bread flour, so without the boost, the loaf would be dense and heavy. A teaspoon of vital gluten gives the bread enough structure to rise properly in the machine.

Pro Tips

• Add ingredients in the order listed, with water first and yeast last. This is standard for most bread machines and keeps the yeast from activating prematurely.
• Use the light crust setting. The sugar and potato starch in this bread brown quickly, and a medium or dark setting can overcook the crust.
• Make sure the water is at room temperature. Cold water slows the yeast; hot water kills it.
• Let the loaf cool on a wire rack after removing from the pan. Slicing too early compresses the soft crumb.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of dried herbs like rosemary or dill for a savory loaf.
• Replace the sugar with honey for a slightly different sweetness and a softer crust.
• Use all bread flour if you don’t have whole wheat on hand, but reduce to 2 ¾ cups total.