Spudnut Donuts

Spudnuts (Potato Doughnuts)
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 ( 1/4-ounce) packages active yeast
1 1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
oil for deep frying
Glaze:
4 cups confectioners sugar
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water.
Bring to a boil; cook until tender. Drain, reserving
1/2 cup cooking liquid; cool to 110 to 115 degrees.
Discard remaining cooking liquid. Mash potatoes without
milk or butter.

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in reserved
cooking liquid.

Add mashed potatoes, milk, oil, sugar, eggs and salt.

Add enough flour to form a soft dough.

Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about
1 hour. Punch dough down; let rise again until double.
about 20 minutes. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/2
inch in thickness. Cut with a floured 3-inch doughnut
cutter.

In an electric skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry
doughnuts, a few at a time, until golden brown on both
sides. Drain on paper towels.

Combine confectioners sugar, water and vanilla in a
bowl. Dip warm doughnuts in glaze. Cool on wire racks.
Makes 4 dozen.

Carmel Sauce

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 TBS water
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

1) heat cream and 2TBS water until steaming hot, remove from heat and set aside.
2) place 1/2 cup water in a 2 quart sauce pan; pour sugar and salt in a thin stream in center of pan, do not stir; use your fingers to pat down sugar until it is all moist, do not let any dry sugar touch the side of pan, all should be below the water line. Cover and cook on medium heat until sugar in dissolved and syrup looks clear. Do not stir.
3) uncover and continue cooking without stirring until syrup begins to color slightly. Swirl pan gently if syrup gets too dark, it will taste bitter. Use a skewer to drop a bead of syrup on a plate from time to time. When a drip of syrup looks amber (about 13 min), remove from heat. Holding pan away from you, gradually pour in the hot cram mixture. Stir over low heat to blend the caramel into the cram mixture. Simmer for 1 to 2 min.
4) remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Let cool until slightly thickened. Serve warm or store in tightly covered container in refrigerator up to a week.