Sweet Potato Yeast Donuts

I have always liked loved dusted donuts. Donuts so generously dusted you would think they are glazed. Donuts so fluffy that they almost melt when teeth are sunk into them ( I know my teeth are definitely not happy right now but I’m going to ignore them). For the longest time, I had shied away from making yeasted donuts for fear of messing them up.  Because of this, I have hunted for a  donut fitting the criteria (should be yeasted, soft to the touch,  and dusted) all over Kampala in vain!  But then Black Panther came out last week and it got me wondering. What would the majestic peoples of Wakanda eat?  I’m imagining elaborate and equally glorious meals.  But until I watch the movie and see for myself, here is a soft-to-the-touch, yeasted,  and dusted donut with equal parts of sweet potato. I know you are wondering,  sweet potato donuts (but still they are white!)? The sweet potatoes add a chewy but still soft texture and a complex flavor. The donuts remain white because of the type of sweet potato I used.  I am going to wait for you to make these so we can go see Black Panther together. Deal?

What you will need:

2 C.  Sweet potatoes, mashed

1 Tsp. Sugar

1 C. Water

2 C.  Flour

3 Tbsp. Sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 C. Oil

2 Tsp. Yeast

1/2 Tsp. Vanilla extract

Additional 1/2 C.  Flour

Observations:

To make the mashed sweet potatoes: Peel the potatoes and wash them. Bring them to a boil till soft and tender. Drain the potatoes and mash them with a wooden spoon while still hot and soft.

The additional half cup of flour is to be used if the dough still feels sticky. Use it sparingly though because you do not want to have doughy donuts.

Make sure that the oil is not too hot.  The goal is to achieve a donut that is cooked through while still retaining that golden brown color.

If you have a larger pan (or a frier) you can fry more than one donut at once. I had a small pan so I fried them one by one.

Method:

Add the lemon juice, vanilla and the 3 tablespoons of sugar in the mashed potatoes and mix well.  In a separate bowl,  add one cup of warm water and the 1 tsp of sugar. Stir till the sugar dissolves. Add the yeast and let it grow for about five minutes. Once the yeast has formed, add the mashed potatoes in the yeast mixture and mix well. Next add the oil and mix. Next add the flour spoon by spoon while stirring. Cover bowl and let the dough rise for an hour. After an hour,  punch and knead the dough for about 2 minutes. On a clean flat surface, use your hands to spread out the dough to about an inch in thickness.  Use a wide rimmed cup or glass to cut out the donuts and a small holed object (think a plastic water bottle) to cut out the donut holes. Repeat the process till all the dough is used up.  Let the donuts rise again for another 10 minutes before frying them.  Place a saucepan on medium heat. Add oil (enough to submerge the donuts) and let it heat up.

Fry the donuts till golden brown.  Drain donuts of excessive oil using a paper napkin.  Dust generously with powdered sugar. Let cool.

Serve.