Last weekend I went to an internet people party, and needed something to bring. I found a cookbook by Idahoan, an instant mashed potato company, and couldn’t resist the potato-y cover!

That’s right, carved out of solid potato!

These turned out differently than I expected, and I’m not 100% convinced that the person that wrote the recipe actually tried it, but with a bit of fiddling they made some really tasty cinnamon bun-type treats. A bunch of people at the party had two, and I heard someone say he’d had four, so… they worked out alright!

Ingredients:

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 2/3 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
• 2 cups milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups prepared mashed potatoes, room temperature
• 8-9 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon + 1 dash, divided
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons milk

To make the scalded milk, just heat milk on the stove until just bubbling, then remove from the heat. This breaks down some proteins in the milk that would have inhibited the dough rise.

The recipe anticipates you’ll make some instant mashed potatoes following the package directions. If you want to make mashed potatoes from real potatoes, clean, peel, and quarter 2 or 3 potatoes. Boil until you can easily stab them with a fork, drain, and mash until no lumps remain, adding a tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt. Let cool to room temperature, then continue.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, then stir in the milk, sugar, eggs, butter, salt, and mashed potato.

Add 8 cups of flour and knead well, adding the remaining flour if needed. The original recipe said 6-8 cups of flour, but even with 9 this dough was stickier than I generally want, hence my questioning of whoever wrote this recipe.

With 9 cups of flour, just barely dry enough to not glop all over your hand when touched lightly.

Cover, and let rise somewhere warm until doubled, about an hour.

hehe

Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and pat out into a rectangle approximately 24X18″. Brush the surface with melted butter.

Sprinkle with the brown sugar, raisins, and cinnamon. The original recipe didn’t actually specify how much cinnamon, but I think I used around a tablespoon. The recipe also only called for half a cup of raisins, but that was so few they were basically unnoticeable in some of the buns, so I’ve suggested a whole cup.

Cut the dough in half lengthwise, to get two long strips. Roll each piece from the center out to the outside to make two long rolls.

Pinch the seams and ends shut, then cut into inch-inch and a half long pieces. To avoid squashing the dough with a knife, you can wrap floss around the log of dough and pull the loop tight and it cuts nicely.

Place the pieces on greased baking sheets, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, another half hour or so.

I filled 3 of these pans.

Preheat the oven to 400. Bake the risen rolls until browned, approximately 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

While the buns are still warm, whisk together the powdered sugar and enough of the milk to make a drizzle-able icing, and drizzle over the buns. I added an extra dash of cinnamon to the icing.

Tons of buns! Which is ideal for party-going. I’ll be sharing this recipe on YeastSpotting.

Cinnamon Pinwheels

Adapted from Idahoan Recipes.

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 2/3 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
• 2 cups milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups prepared mashed potatoes, room temperature
• 8-9 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons milk

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, then stir in the milk, sugar, eggs, butter, salt, and mashed potato. Add 8 cups of flour and knead well, adding the remaining flour if needed to make a soft dough. Cover, and let rise somewhere warm until doubled, about an hour.

Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and pat out into a rectangle approximately 24X18″. Brush the surface with melted butter. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, raisins, and cinnamon.Cut the dough in half lengthwise, to get two long strips. Roll each piece from the center out to the outside to make two long rolls. Pinch the seams and ends shut, then cut into inch-inch and a half long pieces. Place the pieces on greased baking sheets, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, another half hour or so.

Preheat the oven to 400. Bake the risen rolls until browned, approximately 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

While the buns are still warm, whisk together the powdered sugar and enough of the milk to make a drizzle-able icing, and drizzle over the buns.