• In a stand mixer, add bread flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Use a whisk to mix well.
• Add beaten egg and warm milk (make sure it’s not hot) to the stand mixer.
• Blend on low speed for 10 minutes, until it forms a dough.
• Add softened butter, then blend on high speed for 15 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. (Tip: The dough should no longer stick to the sides of the blender.)
• Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap or place it in a proofing box. Let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size. (Tip: You can use your oven’s proofing function or place the bowl under direct sunlight.)
• Peel and cut a russet potato into chunks. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes until soft. Weigh 200 g steamed potato.
• Add the steamed potato, salt, butter, pepper, shredded cheese, and bacon bits to a large bowl. Mash until smooth and mix well.
• Divide and roll into 8 small balls. Set aside.
• Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and divide it into 8 equal portions.
• Roll each portion into a ball, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Flatten each dough ball into a wrapper. Place one potato filling ball in the center and wrap it up, sealing the edges like a soup dumpling.
• Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F). Add a large bowl of water on the lower rack to create steam.
• In a small bowl, mix 5 g cocoa powder and 15 g bread flour.
• Lightly coat each filled dough ball with the mixture to mimic the dusty surface of real potatoes.
• Use a chopstick to poke several small holes on the surface (but don’t poke through — the filling may leak).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the 8 potato-shaped dough on the sheet.
• Put the bread on the middle rack, place a sheet of foil on the top rack to diffuse heat and to keep the surface of the potato bread from burning. Bake for 20 minutes.
• Your potato breads will look just like real potatoes — slightly dusty on the outside, soft and fluffy inside, with a warm, cheesy potato-bacon filling!

Short-term storage (1–2 days):

• Let the breads cool completely after baking. Store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature.
• To reheat, warm them in a microwave for 15–20 seconds or in an oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5 minutes until soft again.

️Long-term storage (up to 2 weeks):

• Wrap each bread individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container.
• To reheat, thaw at room temperature, then bake or toast at 320°F (160°C) for about 8–10 minutes, or microwave for 30–40 seconds until warm and fluffy.