Easy Duchess Potatoes

EQUIPMENT

• Large baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Large Pot
• Ricer or potato masher
• Large mixing bowl
• Piping bag
• Star piping tip

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes or russet, peeled and chopped (900g)
• ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and divided (57g)
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 3 egg yolks
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and cook until very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain very well.
3. Place the potatoes in a ricer using the smallest holes. Squeeze directly into a large mixing bowl. (If you don’t have a ricer, mash the potatoes in a large mixing bowl with a potato masher until very smooth and there are no longer any lumps. For smoother potatoes, press through a fine mesh sieve.)
4. To the potatoes, add 2 tablespoons of melted butter, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and stir until well combined. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes. Stir in the egg yolks, one at a time, until well blended.
5. Transfer the potato mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe onto the prepared baking sheet into 12 mounds about 2½ inches wide and about 2-inches tall, and evenly spaced apart. Gently brush the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the tops of each potato mound.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

NOTES

• Allow the potatoes to cool at room temperature for a few minutes before adding the egg yolks. This will ensure the egg yolks don’t scramble.
• Use a stencil. If you don’t want to eyeball the size of the potatoes as you pipe them and you want them to all be the same size, use a stencil to create 2½-inch circles on one side of the parchment paper, or trace around the rim of a small bowl. Then flip the parchment paper over and pipe the potatoes onto the stenciled circles.
• If you’re worried about them falling flat: You can chill the duchess potato mounds for about 20 minutes in the refrigerator to help them firm up before baking. I never chill mine and they always hold their shape, especially since they don’t contain a large amount of butter or cream, so I don’t consider this a necessary step. But, it’s also a helpful one if you want to prep a few steps ahead of time, and then bake them when you’re ready.
• Use an egg wash. You can brush the eggs with egg wash (1 egg beaten well with 1 teaspoon of water) instead of melted butter to achieve a deeper golden brown.
• Garnish with different fresh herbs. While I love the slightly peppery bite of fresh Italian parsley, you could chop up chives or rosemary instead.
• Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Grate a little Parmesan cheese over the top of the potatoes once they come out of the oven for a rich, cheesy flavor.