Ultimate creamy mash

So you’re here to learn how to make my ultimate mashed potatoes, right? Well this is a bit of a deep dive into my methods for the smoothest, fluffiest mash filled with cream and butter.

If you want to cook along with me, have a look at my new Youtube Channel for my favourite tricks. Here’s the ingredients you’ll need to grab!

• 4 maris piper potatoes
• 75g/2 3/4oz salted butter
• 50ml/2fl oz milk / cream
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp melted butter (optional)

Prep your potatoes

I’m a big lover of mashed potato. It’s probably the most comforting spud out there, especially when it’s loaded with as much cream and buttery goodness as this one is.

You all know what I’m going to say by now, I use Maris Pipers for my ultra creamy mash. In the US, get yourself some Yukon Golds. You need to use a starchy potato so your mash can go super fluffy!

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1cm rounds. This is a better way to cut potatoes for mash than quarters, because they cook quicker and get less waterlogged.

Boiling the spuds

Pop the potatoes into a large pot of cold, heavily salted water. The water needs to taste like the sea, so don’t be afraid of salt! Remember that time you drank seawater on a dare on holiday? Like that. Bring the pot to a gentle boil and cook for around 20 minutes.

Test your potatoes with a fork or a blunt knife, until they fall off the end without any resistance.

Drain and dry

When the potato slices are cooked, drain them into a colander and sit them back on top of the hot pan with a clean tea towel over the top. The residual heat from the pan helps to steam dry the potatoes.

After 10-15 minutes, the potatoes will have started to go white around the edges – this is showing that they’re dried and will go extra fluffy when mashed.

While your potatoes dry, tip some cream into a saucepan and heat until it is about the same temperature as the potatoes, as this will help the cream to incorporate into the mash easier. Season your cream well, and this is where you can add in other flavours like garlic, herbs or peppercorns to infuse.

Sieve your spuds

Most people will use a potato masher to smash up their spuds but I prefer to use a fine mesh sieve. Use a hard flexible spatula to push your potatoes through the sieve. If your potatoes are cooked enough they’ll push through easily into a fine, fluffy mash.

While you’re sieving your potatoes, throw a few cubes of butter into the sieve to melt and go through. This helps with getting everything combined later.

When your cream is hot, combine in batches with a spatula. Try not to overwork your potatoes as otherwise they’ll go gloopy and no one wants that! Just stir until they’re smooth and creamy.

Garnish and get in there

I could literally eat a mountain of mashed potatoes. Generally I like a bit of a fresh garnish, so some finely sliced chives for that little kick of health. Makes me feel slightly better about the entire block of butter and tub of cream I’ll be consuming with all this mash.

BRB I’m going to go sit in a dark room with my potatoes.