Mashed Potato Doughnuts aka Raised Potato Doughnuts
Doughnuts made with mashed potatoes
Servings 10 doughnuts
Cost 5
Ingredients
- ½ cup cooked mashed potatoes, made with flakes or a potato (100 grams)
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk (I use whole) (84 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon active dry yeast or instant yeast (I use SAF instant) half a packet
- 1 large egg plus 2 tablespoons of beaten egg (75 grams)
- 4 tablespoons softened butter or 3 tablespoons shortening (56 grams butter or 36 grams shortening)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (totally optional)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla (also optional)
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (350 grams, but start with 280)
Glaze
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Day 1 -- Start late in the day
- Have the mashed potatoes ready to go. I usually use ⅓ cup of potato flakes rehydrated with a generous ⅓ cup of boiling water which makes about 100 grams of dry-ish mashed potatoes. Otherwise, mash potatoes using your favorite method and weigh out 100 grams.
- Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe glass measuring cup, scald the milk. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let milk cool to 110 to 115 degrees F. Sprinkle yeast over warm milk and set aside to proof.
- In bowl of stand mixer, combine 1 cup of the flour with the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, salt, egg, butter or shortening and mashed potatoes, nutmeg and vanilla. Stir in the bubbly yeast mixture and a second cup of the flour. Beat by hand or with the paddle attachment to make a very sticky batter. put the bowl on the stand if you haven't already.
- Attach dough hook to the mixer and begin kneading the dough on medium speed. Gradually, about 2 tablespoons at a time, add the reserved ½ cup of flour. Continue adding it gradually and kneading until the dough clings to the hook and is slightly elastic. You may use the full ½ cup, you may stop at ⅓. Go by the feel of the dough and stop to scrape often. Continue kneading with the hook until you have a smooth dough that no longer clings to the side of the bowl, but is not dry. My favorite descriptor is "soft as a baby's butt".
- Put dough in a well-greased bowl, roll it to slick the sides, then cover with plastic wrap and let double at room temperature for 1 ½ hours (or 45 minutes if using instant yeast). Punch down the dough. Return dough to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight or for 8 to 12 hours.
Day 2 -- Start in the morning
- Happy Doughnut Making Day!
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, press cold dough down to make a circle that’s about ⅓ of an inch thick. Sprinkle a little more flour over top if needed. Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut as many doughnuts as you can. For the hole, you can use a small round cutter or something like an apple corer or a cannoli mold. Set them on the parchment lined pan cover with a kitchen cloth and let rise for about an hour. They'll puff up, but they won't become gargantuous.
- Heat oil to 365 degrees F. I like to use peanut oil that's about 1 ½ inches deep in my Le Creuset Dutch oven. Use your favorite deep fry equipment. Fry doughnuts for about 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. Drizzle with glaze.
Glaze
- To make the glaze, mix the sifted sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. You can make it all at once, or make half at a time. I glaze by setting the doughnuts in a wide bowl and pouring the glaze over so that the bowl catches the glaze.
- Makes about 10 or 12 doughnuts depending on size of cutters.
