Roast potato dipping board
The fondue dipping board straight from your wish list
We’re officially back with another round of my 12 Days of Christmas Potatoes, and let me tell you right now… this one might just be my favourite creation of the entire festive season. I know I say that a lot, but THIS time I mean it with my whole Christmas-loving soul. Imagine golden, crispy roast potatoes teamed up with a hot, gooey cheese fondue, a fiery spiced honey cranberry sauce and a jug of rich, glossy gravy for dipping. It’s pure Christmas on a board.
And yes, it’s a bit of a mouthful…which is fitting, because I currently have a mouthful as I type this. These roasties are dangerously addictive. They’re meant to be for parties, buffets, sharing boards and big family spreads, but honestly? Absolutely no judgement if you make this for a solo festive movie night. When I was testing this recipe, no one got a look in. It’s that good.
A board built for festive magic
This dish has everything I adore about festive food: nostalgic flavours, cosy richness, and a little playful twist in the form of SPICE. The hot honey cranberry sauce gives a sweet heat that cuts through the richness. The gravy is non-negotiable (obviously), and the cheese fondue? Well that’s just me being completely over the top, because we always need cheese. If there’s ever a time for excessive melted cheese, it’s December.
The fondue element makes the most of that leftover cheese board, combining double Glouchester, cheddar, emmental, Port Salut and a lovely pour of prosecco to loosen it all up and make it dippable. I also added a glug of double cream for good measure.
The moment you dip a perfectly crisp roastie into all three? You’ll understand.
Perfect roasties are ESSENTIAL
This board is nothing without expert roast potatoes. You want that perfect combo: glassy golden edges, fluffy middles, salty flavour, and the kind of crunch you can hear from the next room.
Follow my foolproof roastie rules:
Cut your potatoes into large chunks. More surface area = more crispiness.
Salt your boiling water properly. Like seawater-level. It seasonsa and helps with texture.
Start with cold water. Anything grown underground needs a cold start.
Steam-dry every time. Drain, cover with a tea towel, and leave for 10–15 minutes.
Preheat your oil or fat. Goose fat, beef fat or neutral oil, just make it HOT before the spuds go in. That part is crucial.
Don’t faff. Turn your roasties once halfway through cooking. Leave them alone otherwise.
Finish with herby salt. A final flourish that changes everything (tutorial linked here).
Should I serve alongside anything else?
Oh bab, you can serve this however you like, and I believe more is more when it comes to Christmas. This would also work amazingly well with pigs in blankets, parsnip or carrot fries, mini Yorkshire puddings and crisps. Why not whip this up for Boxing Day to use up all that lovely leftover food? We don’t waste food here!
Roast potato dipping board
By Poppy Cooks
https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/roast-potato-dipping-board/
Ingredients
For the roast potatoes
- 8 large Maris Pipers, peeled and quartered
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme, whole
- Chicken stock cube
- 3 heaped tbsp goose fat
- 70g rice flour
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp onion salt
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 3 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped
Metric
Imperial
For the cheesy fondue
- 80g double Gloucester, grated
- 80g cheddar, grated
- 80g Emmental, grated
- 80g Port Salut, grated
- 250ml Prosecco
- Splash of milk and double cream
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
Metric
Imperial
For the hot cranberry dip
- 200g cranberry sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar or vermouth vinegar
- 50ml boiling water
Metric
Imperial
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200ºc fan/220ºc/400ºf. Place the potatoes into a large pot of cold heavily salted water with the whole sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Chuck in the chicken stock pot and bring to the boil over a high heat, then cook for 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain into a colander and place back over the empty hot pan before covering with a clean tea towel and leaving to steam dry for 10 minutes.
- While the potatoes are steam drying, scoop the goose fat into a large baking tray and place into the oven to get HOT. Mix together all of the spices and thyme leaves with the rice flour and a big pinch of fine table salt.
- Dust the spiced flour mixture all over the potatoes before tipping them into the hot fat. Turn the spuds over so they're fully coated, then roast for 50 minutes. Flip the roasties half way through cooking.
- While the potatoes are roasting, you can make a start on your sauces. Pour the Prosecco into a small pan and slowly melt in small handfuls of cheese, a bit at a time, until smooth and silky. Whisk in the mustard and thin down with a splash of cream and milk if needed, the cover with clingfilm touching the top until ready to serve.
- For the hot cranberry sauce, simply whisk together all of the ingredients with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add more or less chilli flakes depending on how spicy you like it!
- Serve up a mountain of gold and delicious spuds with bowls of gravy, cranberry sauce and cheesy fondue for ultimate dippage.