Pommes duch*esse (duch*ess Potatoes) (2024)

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Vegetables
Potatoes

The fanciest, fussiest mashed potatoes.

Sasha Marx

Senior Culinary Editor

Sasha is a senior culinary editor at Serious Eats. He has over a decade of professional cooking experience, having worked his way up through a number of highly regarded and award-winning restaurant kitchens, followed by years spent in test kitchens for food publications.

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Published March 11, 2022

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Why It Works

Drying the cooked potatoes in a pot on the stovetop removes excess moisture, allowing for richer, creamier potatoes.
Enriching mashed potatoes with egg gives them structure, allowing them to hold their shape when piped.
The recipe is calibrated to make both individual piped portions or an attractive casserole, allowing you to choose a preferred serving presentation.

Have you ever found yourself staring at a mound of mashed potatoes, perhaps nestled alongside a perfectly seared steak or jostling for room on an overfilled holiday plate, and thought, “I love my grade-school gravy moat, but there has to be a fancier, fussier, French-ier way of plating these spuds”? If you answered yes, and aren’t already familiar with pommes duch*esse, then it’s time to get acquainted. duch*ess potatoes are classic old-school French cuisine: riced boiled potatoes, mounted with egg yolks and butter, and seasoned with nutmeg. This mixture could be used as a base for other potato preparations such as pommes dauphine, which incorporates pâte à choux for airy fried potato puffs, or stuffed into a pastry bag fitted with a decorative star tip, then piped and baked into pretty individual portions of rich mashed potato.

To be clear, aesthetics aren’t the only draw of pommes duch*esse. The addition of eggs adds structure that allows the potatoes to hold their shape when piped, it also lends them extra richness. For this recipe, I settled on a combination of two yolks plus one whole egg, which, when baked, help the potatoes puff up, their surface browning and crisping slightly, producing a thin shell of sorts that contrasts nicely with the creamy mashed potato interior. It’s like a cross between a savory mashed potato soufflé and meringue.

Piping individual portions of potato may seem a little much for some people, and I don’t disagree. But sometimes you want to pull out all the stops at a dinner party or holiday gathering, and this is the perfect recipe for those occasions. I developed the recipe to work for making either individual piped portions or a slightly more rustic, but still eye-catching, family-style casserole. To maximize creaminess without compromising on structural integrity, I add a touch of heavy cream to the mixture along with the traditional eggs and butter.

Yukon Golds produce the silkiest, and most full-flavored duch*ess potatoes, but russets work fine as well. An optional light coating of clarified butter promotes browning in the oven, but there’s enough fat in the potato mixture already to get good results without it. When you want to impress, go with duch*esse.

Recipe Details

Pommes duchesse (duchess Potatoes)

Cook45 mins

Total45 mins

Serves6to 8 servings

Ingredients

3 pounds (1.4kg) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (see note)
See Also
duch*ess Potatoes Chef tips on potato varieties and how to cook them Why You Should Add an Egg Yolk to Your Mashed Potatoes | McCormick Annabelle Potatoes
Kosher saltand freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
Pinch freshly gratednutmeg
6 tablespoons (90g) unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg plus 2 yolks, lightly beaten
Nonstick cooking spray (for piped individual portions only)
Meltedclarified butter, for brushing (optional)

Directions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). In a medium pot, combine potatoes, 2 quarts cold water, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender and offer little resistance when pierced with a paring knife, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes, then return to now-empty pot.
Set pot over low heat and cook, shaking constantly, until moisture has evaporated from potatoes, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Using a ricer or food mill, pass potatoes into a medium bowl. Using a flexible spatula, stir in butter. Once butter is fully incorporated, stir in cream and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in beaten egg mixture until combined, taking care not to over-mix the potatoes.
For Individual Portions: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and grease lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer potato mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip. To pipe the potatoes, hold the filled pastry bag at an 80° angle, apply steady downward pressure, and pipe a 3-inch-wide mound, working in a circular motion. To stop piping, cease applying pressure and swirl the pastry tip away. Continue to pipe portions about 2 inches apart, for a total of 12 portions.Lightly coat portions with clarified butter (if using), taking care not to undo the piped design.
For a Casserole: Grease a 2-quart baking dish, then set it on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer 2/3 of potato mixture to prepared baking dish. Transfer remaining 1/3 to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip. Using a flexible or offset spatula, smooth potato mixture in baking dish in an even layer. Pipe remaining potato on top by holding filled pastry bag at an 80° angle, and applying steady downward pressure to form small mounds in an even decorative pattern. Lightly coat portions with clarified butter (if using), taking care not to undo the piped design.
Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes for individual portions, and about 25 minutes for a casserole; rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Serve.

Special Equipment

Ricer or food mill, disposable pastry bag, 1/2-inch star tip, rimmed baking sheet, 2-quart baking dish (optional)

Notes

We feel that creamy full-flavored Yukon Golds make the best duch*ess potatoes, but russets also work for this recipe. duch*ess potatoes made with russets have a fluffier and slightly drier interior; if you want the texture to be closer to the Yukon Gold version, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more cream to the potato mixture in step 3.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The potato mixture can be prepared through step 4, and the baking sheet of piped portions or casserole can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Allow potatoes to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking.

Potatoes
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
293	Calories
15g	Fat
35g	Carbs
7g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	293
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g	19%
Saturated Fat 9g	43%
Cholesterol 105mg	35%
Sodium 322mg	14%
Total Carbohydrate 35g	13%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 16mg	78%
Calcium 44mg	3%
Iron 2mg	12%
Potassium 908mg	19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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FAQs

Why do my duch*ess potatoes collapse? ›

I love butter and cream more than someone should, but if you add too much, your duch*ess potatoes will collapse, and lose their shape, with some of that fat separating and leaking out anyway. So, if you're craving Joël Robuchon's pommes purée, this might method may not be for you.

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What is the meaning of duch*ess potatoes? ›

plural noun

mashed potatoes mixed with cream, eggs, butter, and seasonings, piped onto a baking sheet or platter, sprinkled with grated cheese, and browned in the oven.

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Why do people put raw eggs in mashed potatoes? ›

Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying components and will thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot.

Keep Reading ›

What potatoes are most often used for duch*ess potatoes? ›

What Kind of Potato is Most Often Used for duch*ess Potatoes? You want to use a starchy potato such as Yukon Gold or Russet. We prefer to use Russet potatoes. They not only taste great, but they also make a perfectly creamy mashed potato.

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How do you thicken duch*ess potatoes? ›

You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well. Stir in the thickening agent gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

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How do I keep my potato plants from falling over? ›

Use stakes or cages to keep them upright, especially as they grow taller and start to produce.

Tell Me More ›

Why are funeral potatoes called funeral potatoes? ›

Why are they called funeral potatoes? Funeral potatoes get their unique name from being a crowd-pleasing casserole served as a side dish at after-funeral luncheons (particularly in the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

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Who invented duch*ess potatoes? ›

It's believed that duch*ess potatoes were invented sometime in the mid-1800s during the Second French Empire when Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie de Montijo ruled France. The name “duch*ess potatoes” likely comes from the French aristocracy of the time.

Find Out More ›

What are the 3 types of potatoes? ›

Potatoes are split into 3 different classifications: starchy, waxy, and all-purpose. These classifications are given based on their texture, starch content, and moisture. Every potato type falls somewhere along this spectrum.

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Why do you put vinegar in mashed potatoes? ›

The addition of a mildly acidic vinegar to a starchy veggie like potatoes not only deepens the flavor profile, but it also helps to tenderize the tubers.

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Why do you put cold water in mashed potatoes? ›

Tips for the Best Mashed Potatoes

Start cooking the potatoes in cold water: This ensures that the potatoes cook evenly. Otherwise, if you start with hot or boiling water, the outsides of the potatoes cook and soften while the middles are still hard and crunchy.

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Why do people add sour cream to mashed potatoes? ›

Sour cream adds a little bit of tangy flavor and a boost of richness to mashed potatoes. It's a fun change from the standard milk or cream and butter combo usually flavoring mashed taters. You can even try your hand at making homemade sour cream from heavy cream!

Show Me More ›

What is the distinctive ingredient used to make duch*ess potatoes? ›

If you answered yes, and aren't already familiar with pommes duch*esse, then it's time to get acquainted. duch*ess potatoes are classic old-school French cuisine: riced boiled potatoes, mounted with egg yolks and butter, and seasoned with nutmeg.

Keep Reading ›

What is the most popular potato in the world today? ›

Russet Potatoes

The russet is a classic potato variety and is the most popular variety grown in North America.

Learn More Now ›

How do you keep potatoes from falling apart? ›

Most often, then, the solution to evenly cooked potatoes is cooking them twice: First, boil, steam, or steam-roast (a fancy term for cooking them with water in the oven) until they're mostly tender but not fall-apart finished. Second, brown the outsides and finish cooking the interiors on the stovetop or in the oven.

Learn More ›

Why do my potatoes fall apart? ›

Why potatoes can absorb too much water. If your potatoes have been growing in very dry soil, the potatoes themselves will have a fairly low moisture content when harvested. What this then means is that when the potatoes are build they absorb more water and fall to pieces quite quickly. So annoying!

Get More Info Here ›

How do you keep mashed potatoes from sinking? ›

To get really smooth, creamy mash, use a potato ricer or sieve. To stop the mash sinking into the filling, allow the meat to cool before topping with the mashed potato.

Keep Reading ›

How do you stop new potatoes from going to mush? ›

Starting the potatoes in cold water allows for more even cooking and helps them retain their shape. If you place them in already boiling water, the outside might overcook before the center is fully cooked, leading to uneven texture and potential falling apart.

Learn More ›