Raised Potato Doughnuts

Ingredients

 * 1/2 cup of powdered milk
 * 1/2 cup of melted butter
 * 1 teaspoon of salt
 * 1 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon
 * 1 package of yeast (or 2 Tablespoons)
 * 3/4 cup of sugar
 * 1 cup of mashed potatoes
 * 3 eggs
 * 1 3/4 cup of (potato) water
 * 6 - 6 1/2 cups of white flour

Directions

 * 1) Peel, cut and boil 1 large or 2 medium sized potatoes in water, until the potatoes are very soft. Remove from heat. Drain, reserving the water. Smash the potatoes with a fork. Measure out one cup of mashed potatoes for the recipe. Measure out 1 3/4 cups of potato water (adding more water if necessary to make 1 3/4 cups).
 * 2) While the potatoes and the water are still warm, beat together all of the ingredients, except for the flour. Then, gradually stir in the flour. Stir in only as much flour as needed to make a workable dough. The dough should be very soft and a little sticky to the touch. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for an hour to an hour and a half, or until the dough is nearly double in size.
 * 3) Punch down the dough. On a floured cookie sheet or large tray, roll out the dough 1/2 inch thick and cut into donut shapes. Remove the dough around the doughnut shapes. Roll out the remaining dough on another cookie sheet, in the same way. Cover the cookie sheets and allow the doughnuts to rise for 20 minutes (skip this rising if you are using "instant" yeast).
 * 4) Fry in deep oil for 3-4 minutes, turning soon after dropping in the oil and then again after a minute or two.
 * 5) Glaze the doughnuts as soon as they are cooked, if you like, with this glaze:
 * 6) Mix 2 cups of powdered sugar with 1/2 cup of boiling water. Dip one side of the doughnut in the glaze. Place, glazed side up, on a plate and sprinkle with coconut, if desired. Serve.