Potato Donuts
Yes I made potato donuts and yes they were actually BANGIN’. Still haven’t got a proper name for them though – Potonuts? Dotatos? Ponuts? I dunno – plz send help because the name ‘Potato Donuts’ just doesn’t do them justice.
But regardless of the name, I stand by the fact that potatoes CAN and SHOULD be added to a dessert. I’m currently writing up a three course potato menu as we speak and even featured the more creatively named ‘custard spudnuts’ in my cookbook, Poppy Cooks: The Food You Need, which are big ole chunky doughnuts stuffed full of homemade custard and smothered in a shiny vanilla glaze.
But back to these bad boys. I first discovered potato donuts in America and was immediately obsessed. You get that golden, crispy outer coating that cases a fluffy, doughy inside with a buttery, smooth flavour. I personally like to finish off my donuts with a simple sweet glaze, but you can get as creative as you want. Dip your donuts in chocolate or cinnamon sugar works really well if you wanna really feel like you’re in the USA. Whatever you opt for, make sure you liberally cover the donuts because it’s not a proper donut if your face isn’t covered in sugar. Let’s get messy.
For the mash element, I tend to stick with Maris Piper potatoes as they allow for light, fluffy dough and won’t leave you with a super gluey and heavy texture. Ensure you get out all the chunks when mashing, I would recommend using a ricer or sieve for the smoothest mash. No-one wants a lumpy mash, let alone a lumpy donut. And when you finally get to kneading your dough, don’t skip this as this will help the donuts keep their shape.
For more ways to add spuds to your puds, try my chocolate coated potato macaroons. These Scottish inspired bitesize treats again use mashed potato as the base but it’s mixed with heaps of icing sugar and dunked in melted dark chocolate and toasted desiccated coconut. You’d honestly never know it was 50% potato. The end result is almost truffle like and make for great gifts. I’m really pushing all the potato-based desserts today aren’t I?!
Live. Laugh. Potato.
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp dry yeast
- 60ml warm water
- 180ml milk
- 50g caster sugar
- 60g butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 100g mashed potato and 1 large maris piper
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 400g plain flour
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Zest and juice of half a lemon
- 1 ltr vegetable oil for deep frying
- For the Vanilla Glaze
- 6 tbsp icing sugar
- 3 tbsp warm water
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp glucose
Method
- Peel & chop your spuds, place them in a pan of salted water and get cooking for the mashed potato.
- Mix your yeast and water and leave to ferment.
- Put the milk, butter, sugar, salt and mashed potato into a saucepan and let the butter melt, leave to cool before the next step.
- Beat your eggs in a large bowl (or if you have a stand mixer use that with a paddle) into a bowl with the vanilla.
- Once the potato mix is cool, add this to the eggs and then add in the yeast.
- Add in half of the flour and mix into a smooth paste.
- Once incorporated, add in the rest of the flour in 3 parts.
- Knead the dough until fully formed into a soft dough. Cover and leave to rise for 1-2 hours.
- Once risen, punch the dough, roll it out to about an inch thick. Cut out doughnut shapes, cover and leave to rise for 30-40 mins.
- In that time, get your oil onto the heat in a large sauce pan.
- Heat to 175-180C. Fry your dough off until golden and puffy.
- For the glaze, mix all of the ingredients.
- Once the doughnuts are slightly cooled, dunk them in the glaze and enjoy.