Maple Potato Doughnuts

Doughnuts made from mashed potato first appeared in the mid 1900s. They’re super soft and creamy on the inside, but they have a nice, crunchy crust for contrast.

MAKES: 8 large doughnuts

PREP TIME: 45 minutes

COOKING TIME: about 4 minutes per batch

INGREDIENTS:

DOUGHNUTS:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ¾ cup cooled mashed potatoes (about 2 medium potatoes)
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup whole milk
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying

GLAZE:

• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 to 3 Tbsp milk or cream
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• Maple sugar for topping (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the doughnuts, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl and using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Stir in the mashed potatoes and eggs.
3. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, alternately with the milk, making four additions of flour and three of milk, and beginning and ending with the flour. Stir until well combined. The dough will be soft.
4. Handling the dough as little as possible (so the finished doughnuts are tender), turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface. Roll it out to ¾-inch thickness.
5. Using a 3 ½-inch doughnut cutter (or a 3 ½-inch round cutter for the doughnuts and a 1-inch round cutter for the holes), cut the dough into eight doughnuts, rerolling the dough scraps once. (Rerolling the scraps more than once makes the doughnuts tough.) Either reserve the doughnut holes for frying separately or incorporate them back into the dough.
6. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 360ºF to 375ºF. Alternatively, pour enough oil into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan to come one-third of the way up the sides of the saucepan. Hook a candy thermometer over the side of the saucepan. Heat the oil over medium heat until the thermometer registers 360ºF to 375ºF. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels.
7. Using a flat spatula or tongs and working in batches, carefully slide the doughnuts, one at a time, into the hot oil. Do not crowd the deep-fryer or saucepan. If using a saucepan, adjust the heat, if necessary, to maintain the temperature of the oil at a constant 360°F to 375ºF.
8. Fry the doughnuts (and the holes, if using) until the undersides are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes (30 seconds for the holes). Carefully flip the doughnuts and fry until the second side is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes (30 seconds for the holes).
9. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the doughnuts to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let the doughnuts cool on the baking sheet.
10. For the glaze, combine the icing sugar, maple syrup, 1 tablespoonful of the cream and the salt in a wide bowl until well combined and smooth. If the glaze is too stiff, add a little more cream, 1 tablespoonful at a time, until the glaze is soft enough to dip the doughnuts in.
11. Dip the tops of the cooled doughnuts in the glaze. Sprinkle the glazed tops with maple sugar (if using). Serve the doughnuts immediately. (The doughnuts are best served the day they’re made.)

BAKING DAY SECRETS:

• Look for maple sugar at your local farmer’s market or in a specialty grocery store.