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How to Make Your Own Potato Flour

October 20, 2017 by hannahabaffy No Comments
Potato Flour

“What’s ‘Taters’ Precious?” Potato flour is made, unsurprisingly, of nothing more than potatoes. The process, however, is rather involved: usually peeled first, the potatoes are then shredded, blanched, dehydrated and finally, ground yielding a heavy cream-colored flour.

If you are an avid bread baker, you may have run across recipes that call for potato flour, but the typical home baker has probably never used it. In fact, you’ll be hard-pressed to find it in your local grocery store. So is it necessary? Yes and no, you do not have to have potato flour in order to make bread, but it can significantly improve your bakes. The starch in potato flour attracts and holds water, increasing the moisture content in your loaves, resulting in a truly tender crumb. It also significantly increases a bread’s shelf-life, and when combined with wheat flours makes yeast dough easier to handle and shape.

Potato Flour vs. Potato Starch

Potato flour tastes and smells distinctly of potato. In breads and savory bakes, this potato flavor works well, and if used in cautious amounts greatly improves the tenderness of your sweeter breads while not imparting a flavor that would seem out of place.

Potato starch, however, is made from the dried starch component of peeled potatoes. It is very fine and white and has no flavor. Potato starch is one of the darlings of the gluten-free movement for its binding and thickening abilities. But don’t let that deter you, it can be used in a multitude of other applications from thickening gravies to setting custards. One thing to be careful of when using potato starch is that unlike cornstarch it must never be brought to a boil. The high heat immediately makes it lose any of its binding properties and renders it utterly useless.

Purchasing vs. Making

If you buy potato flour in the grocery store it’s extremely expensive, however, if you have a dehydrator at your disposal you can make it yourself. Do not be intimidated, the process sounds long but is rendered quite easy through the use of a couple of gadgets that you can find in most household kitchens. In the words of R. W. Emerson “trust thyself”.

 

Potato Flour

“I have made a lot of mistakes falling in love, and regretted most of them, but never the potatoes that went with them.” -Nora Ephron

 

Potato Flour

Ingredients

4.5 lbs. Potatoes

Instructions

Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil.

Potato Flour

While the water is coming up to temperature, peel your potatoes. Once they are all peeled and rinsed, chop them into halves or quarters, just so long as they fit into the tube at the top of your food processor.

 

Fit your food processor with the shredding blade and feed the potatoes through. Blanch your shredded potatoes in the now boiling pot of water for 1 minute. Remove and pour into a large colander to drain.

Potato Flour

Spread your potatoes out evenly across the shelves of your dehydrator and set her loose, allowing the potatoes to dry undisturbed for 12-18 hours.

Potato Flour

At the end of this time, you should have several trays of withered, dried potato shreds. They will turn an unappetizing grey, but do not let this bother you.

Potato Flour

Place the dried shreds into your blender and blend on high until you have a fine dust.

Potato Flour

No, it’s not the interior of the vacuum cleaner, it’s potato flour! Ready to be added to a profusion of recipes. Assert your independence, make your own potato flour!

 

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About Me

Hi, I'm Hannah. Creator of Milk + Honey and long time curious eater. Join me as I explore the surprising history behind some of the world's most iconic dishes, and figure out the best ways to prepare them.

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Vegan, refined-sugar free, and gluten-free, eating responsibly has never felt so indulgent. Get the recipe on the blog this week!
The superiority of chocolate, both for health and The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain.
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"Good apple pies are a considerable part of our do "Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness." — Jane Austen
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milkandhoneythebakery

"By their desserts will I judge them."
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Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut butter sandwiched between a crunchy coating of toasted almonds and toffee and a sweet chewy base of dates and oats. Now drizzle that in dark chocolate, and you’ve got yourself these decadent raw chocolate, peanut butter almond bars. 

Vegan, refined-sugar free, and gluten-free, eating responsibly has never felt so indulgent. Get the recipe on the blog this week!
The superiority of chocolate, both for health and The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain.
-Thomas Jefferson

While not necessarily for the health reasons stated, Jefferson’s prediction has certainly come to materialize, at least in my home.
A debate I had with my husband shortly after makin A debate I had with my husband shortly after making this honey-almond “snack cake”: As we sat around “snacking,” we began to discuss what the real difference was between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes. Banal, yet relevant in the moment. 

This arbitrary mystery resulted in a lot of opinions and by the end of it, several unanswered questions. 

So I put it to you, Instagram Family, what is the real difference between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes? Are the terms so similar as to be inconsequential, or do their comparabilities hide deeper differences? 

The perimeters (at least in my mind) are these: Leftover birthday cake that becomes the next morning’s breakfast would definitely be a snack cake. Meaning a snack cake, while sounding laid-back, could be a slice of sophisticated dacquiouse or some other luxurious dessert.
Whereas a snacking cake would be something more along the lines of a sheet cake (like the classic chocolate Texas variety). More than a brownie but less than a layer cake. Something you could take a fork to but would probably just pick up with your hands. 

In short, any cake can be a snack. But not every cake is a snacking cake.

Thoughts?
When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocol When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocolate or carrot,’ which do you choose?
Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ? Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ?
Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan a Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan and pine nuts, and packing a garlicky punch, our braided pesto bread is the ideal way to use up your garden’s bounty. 

Also it looks impressive. Pull-out all the stops and impress your family and guests with this ultra-easy and rewarding loaf.
Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Mesoamericans are remembered as the original chocolate lovers. Considered a sacred beverage among them, cocoa was used during celebrations and religious ceremonies and was thought to lend the drinker strength.

It is said that Montezuma kept a massive storehouse of cocoa beans, and drank 50 golden cups of the stuff a day, decreeing that only those men brave enough to face battle would be permitted to join him in drinking it. Chocolate eventually becoming a regular part of military rations among the Aztecs. 

The belief that chocolate was a powerful elixir that lent its drinker extra virility and strength seems to have made its way into European and US thinking as well and may explain the application of including chocolate or pressed cakes of cocoa powder in US military rations, an operation practiced all the way up to the Vietnam war. 

With piles of historical evidence it would stand to reason that chocolate must be good for me, so I’m going to start making a regular habit of indulging in it. Each bite imbuing me with strength, vim, and vigor. Don’t stay a weakling all your life, join me in making these chocolate pot de creme today and start eating more chocolate.
A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge during Prohibition, and one of our favorite forms of solace during the Great Depression. One might argue that without the aid of ice cream we might not be here today.
"Good apple pies are a considerable part of our do "Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness." — Jane Austen
Load More... Follow on Instagram
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