Duchess Potatoes

Duchess Potatoes

David Venable

Don't be fooled by its fancy looks; this classic French side dish is surprisingly easy to make.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 12–15

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for water when boiling potatoes
  • 5 Tbsp butter, divided
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425℉.

Put the peeled and quartered potatoes into a pot with enough water to completely cover them. Add a liberal amount of salt to the water (a few good pinches should do). Bring the water to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat until just boiling so the potatoes don’t break apart and release too much starch into the water. Cook until fork tender. Drain into a colander and set the colander back on top of the pot to drain.

Using a stand mixer equipped with a flat beater, add the drained potatoes while they're still warm. Start mashing the potatoes on a low speed. Add 2-1/2 to 3 tablespoons of the butter, then add the heavy cream, egg yolks, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Beat/mash the potatoes until smooth and creamy.

Fill a piping bag and a large star tip with the mashed potatoes.

Pipe the potatoes onto a parchment-lined sheet pan or cookie sheet. Do this in the same manner as you would pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Melt the remaining butter and brush it onto the piped potatoes.

Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges/peaks become golden brown. Serve as a side with your favorite meal.

Cook's Notes

If you don’t want to see specs of pepper in your potatoes, sub in white pepper! Only use about half, since it has strong flavor and is usually ground finer.

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