Ingredients
2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 to 5 tbsp. heavy cream
4 tbsp. butter
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white or black pepper
2 large egg yolks
Finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Flaky sea salt, for garnish
Preparation
Step 1Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.Step 2In a large pot, cover potatoes with water by 1”. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until you can easily insert a fork into the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain then return potatoes to the pot. Pass potatoes through potato mill or ricer into a large bowl.Step 3Add 4 tablespoons cream, butter, and ¾ teaspoon each salt and pepper to potatoes. Adjust seasoning to taste and add remaining 1 tablespoon cream to get a pipeable consistency, if necessary.Step 4Cool potatoes 5 minutes, then fold 1 egg yolk at a time with a flexible spatula until incorporated.Step 5Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip and transfer the potatoes to the piping bag. Pipe crowns with a 3” base, swirling into a point. Refrigerate for 1 hour, if possible.Step 630 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 400º. Bake potatoes for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375º. Bake 8 to 12 minutes more, until golden brown. Serve hot, sprinkled with parsley and flaky sea salt, if you like.
The key to Duchess Potatoes’ pretty shape is using a piping bag fitted with a star tip. If you don’t have one, use a large ziptop bag instead. Cut the corner and use it to pipe the crowns instead. Pro tip: To create uniform shapes, stencil 3" circles on one side of the parchment paper with pencil or permanent marker, then flip over to pipe. Duchess Potatoes can be made up to a day in advance. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. Or, freeze Duchess Potatoes on the baking sheet and transfer to a bag. You can cook them straight from frozen—just add a few minutes to the baking time. It’s easy to tweak the flavoring of Duchess Potatoes. Stir in some mustard or horseradish to the mixture for a little kick, or stir in some roasted garlic and Parmesan for an even more savory version. We like Yukon Golds best for this recipe, but you can use russet potatoes instead, if you like.
