Duchess Potatoes
This recipe creates elegant Duchess Potatoes, a classic side dish featuring creamy, seasoned potato puree piped into decorative rosettes and baked until golden. Russet potatoes are boiled, dried, then riced and combined with egg yolks, butter, and cream, seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then piped and baked for a beautiful presentation.
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot For boiling potatoes
- 1 Baking Sheet With parchment paper or silicone mat
- 1 Potato Ricer or Food Mill Essential for smooth, lump-free potatoes
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Pastry Bag with Large Star Tip For piping the decorative rosettes
Ingredients
Main
- 5 pounds russet potatoes peeled and diced, and boiled until fork-tender
- 8 egg yolks
- 1 stick butter softened
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 whole egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon baking mat.
- Lay the boiled potatoes on a baking sheet and place into the oven until slightly dried on the surface, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and process through a ricer or food mill. Allow to cool in a bowl for about 5 minutes.
- Add the egg yolks, butter, a couple generous pinches of salt, a generous pinch of pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and 3/4 cup cream. Stir with a rubber spatula to combine. Taste and make sure the potatoes have been adequately salted.
- Transfer to a large pastry bag and pipe through a large star tip in a circular/upward spiral motion onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Make an egg wash by mixing the whole egg with the remaining 1/2 cup cream. Lightly brush the piped potatoes with the egg wash. (This is a little easier if you chill the piped potatoes for half an hour or so.)
- Bake until golden brown around the edges. Serve on a pretty platter!
Notes
The key to perfect duchess potatoes is dry, fluffy potatoes. After boiling, briefly drying them in the oven removes excess moisture, preventing a gluey texture. Always use a ricer or food mill; mashing overworks the starch, making them gummy. Ensure potatoes cool slightly before incorporating egg yolks to prevent scrambling. Season generously, tasting as you go. Chilling the piped potatoes before applying the egg wash helps them hold their intricate shape, leading to beautifully defined, golden-brown rosettes.