Salted Caramel Spudnuts

METHOD

1. Tip the potato into a large saucepan and cover with water. Add the tablespoon of salt. Place the pan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Boil for 10 minutes, until tender, then drain in a colander, cover with a tea towel and leave to steam off for 10 minutes. Then, tip the potatoes back into the pan and mash until smooth. Set aside.

2. While the potatoes are boiling, combine the yeast in a jug with the warm water and leave to ferment (it should go nice and frothy to show that your yeast is active).

3. Stir the milk, butter, sugar, teaspoon of salt into the pan with the hot mash. Leave to cool completely before continuing.

4. Tip the eggs into a large bowl with the vanilla and beat them together (you can do this in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you have one). Add the cold potato mixture and the activated yeast.

5. Add half the flour to the bowl and beat to a smooth paste, then, one third at a time, add the remaining flour, beating well between each addition.

6. Knead the dough until fully formed into a soft dough. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1–2 hours, until doubled in size.

7. Tip out the risen dough on to your work surface and ‘knock it back’ by punching it down. Then, use a rolling pin to roll it out until about 2.5cm thick.

8. Use the floured rim of a mug or wine glass to stamp out 10-12 round shapes with your doughnut cookie cutters.

9. About half way through the proving time, pour your oil into a large, deep saucepan so that it comes no more than a third of the way up the sides. Remember you must leave room for the oil to bubble after you have put the doughnuts into it! Place it over a high heat and bring it up to 175–180°C on a cooking thermometer.

10. Once the doughnuts are ready, add 2 or 3 at a time into the hot oil, using a long-handled spoon to gently turn them for 4 minutes, until golden and puffy all over. Set aside each batch to drain and cool on kitchen paper while you make the next.

11. Once the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, roll in cinnamon sugar (your caster sugar mixed with the ground cinnamon) and serve with salted caramel on the side.

What you will need