# What does adding mashed potatoes do?



## tamdoankc (Aug 14, 2008)

I'm trying to break down the science in the ingredients of a doughnut. What does adding mashed potatoes to a bread type recipe do? I think I read somewhere that the starch in the potatoes reacts with flour to create sugar which feeds the yeast or something like that. Is this what it does? Does it help make a lighter and fluffier donut?


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## foleyisgood (Feb 28, 2008)

Well, I don't know but it does seem like an interesting thing that one could try. I am immediately reminded of gnocchi when I hear that idea. Perhaps you should do some experimenting of your own and report back, who knows you could make a really cool discovery and make millions selling potato donuts.


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

potato - in the form of flour, mashed, flaked, starch - can be used to make the finished product a bit softer and moister. it's a subtle taste&texture thing....


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## gunnar (Apr 3, 2008)

"nothing is new" as the saying goes. I remember making potato donuts as a kid. One of the other kids mom had a family recipe. they were better then any cake donut i have ever had. don't have a recipe but have had them and can say its worth doing.


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

We had a doughnut shop called "Spudnut" in my home town. I'm not sure, but it may have been a chain. The doughnuts were feather-light, almost as light as the Krispy Kremes I tried many years later.


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## tamdoankc (Aug 14, 2008)

In my original recipe my donuts came out just ok. Just not light enough for my tastes. The donuts would sink just enough when frying that they ended up with a brown ring around the equator where the oil would fry that portion twice when I flipped the donut. 

I modified my recipe by adding mashed potatoes and used better quality flour. I'm not sure which one did it but my donuts came out better than I had hoped. Soo light and fluffy. They almost floated above the oil. And they all had a wide white ring around the equator where that portion of the dough never touched the oil. Thanks all for the help!


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