Ukrainian Spud Nuts
The Ukrainian version of Tim-Bits. These tiny Spud Nuts, Pumpushky are puffy, light and tender. The base is composed of mashed potatoes & vegetable shortening. These bite size morsels are the perfect dessert to serve Ukrainian Christmas Eve.
Spud Nut Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Potatoes
2 cups mashed potatoes(4 medium size Yukon Gold potatoes)
1/4 cup shortening
TIP for Preparing potatoes. Peel & cut potatoes into 1” cubes. Boil until very soft & drain through a wire sieve. Into a Kitchen Aid mixer attached with a whisk add potatoes and beat until smooth (a few lumps are fine). Important for the potato temperature to drop to room temperature before incorporating the vegetable shortening. Then incorporate the vegetable shortening. Cover with cling film & set aside.
Wet Ingredients
1 lemon zested
1 1/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup homo milk
1 tsp vanilla
4 TBSP melted & cooled butter
Method
sift flour, baking powder, salt, pepper & nutmeg together, set aside
with a paddle attachment, blend the mashed potato mixture, lemon zest, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla extract & melted cooled butter
add dry ingredients & incorporate
transfer dough into a clean dry bowl, refrigerate for 1 hour minimum or overnight
Sugar coating
The choice is yours, either a light dusting of icing sugar or a roll in cinnamon sugar.
Cinnamon sugar
Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 TBSP ground cinnamon
Method
place the brown sugar into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process sugar to a fine grain similar in size to the white sugar
add white sugar and cinnamon, continue to process until well blended
TIP: Cinnamon can be replaced with any aromatic of your choice. We like the result cardamom produces as well.
Rolling & cutting
The dough will appear to be sticky, delicate & wet, this is correct
on a well floured work surface place a third of the dough
roll gently to a 1/2” thick layer
using a 1” round cutter, cut out doughnut & place onto a well floured sheet pan
cover with a dry towel, repeat rolling process
TIP: Work quickly to prevent the dough from drying. Cover all dough surfaces, to prevent from forming a dry skin
Frying
Helpful Pointers: Frying oil, we recommend Mazolla oil. Use a thermometer to maintain temperature of the oil (360-375°F). Use everyday utensils such as forks to roll the tiny doughnuts, the forks facilitate even frying. Use a spider for lifting doughnuts out of the oil. Cooling rack. Stainless steel bowl for the sugar coating.
Method
heat oil to 360-375°F
work in small batches, avoid crowding the doughnuts
fry doughnuts for approximately 3 -5 minutes, or until golden brown, break open a doughnut to check for doneness
when both sides are uniform in colour, remove from oil.
place on cooling rack to drain off oil
once cool enough to handle roll in sugar, careful, do not cool too much as the sugar will not stick
TECHNIQUE: Continually roll the spud nuts in the oil with two long forks or sticks or a fryer basket that you can agitate continuously. Any of these methods work well & produce even frying.
