Make meals special by adding Duchess Potatoes! Buttery mashed potatoes are piped in decorative swirls and baked in this classic French dish.
Have you ever had or made Duchess potatoes? They are a delicious side dish, and today I want to share how to make them!
This dish is called “Pommes Duchess” in France, and are believed to have been named after the Duke and Duchess of Bourgogne. According to the legend behind this dish, the Duke and Duchess really enjoyed fine dining experiences and asked their personal chef to make a fancy potato dish. Duchess potatoes are the result of this request, if the legend is true.
Whether the story of their origin is true or not, Duchess potatoes are pretty impressive to serve with a variety of main dishes, and they’re delicious! They do take a little bit more prep than regular mashed potatoes, but they’re fun to make for special meals! Here’s how to make Duchess potatoes.
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Prepare The Potatoes
Peel about 6 small to medium-sized russet potatoes (2 pounds total), then rinse them. Slice the potatoes into quarters by cutting them in half lengthwise, then cut each potato half in half again.
Place the potato quarters in a large saucepan, then cover them completely with cold water. Bring the water to a boil on HIGH heat. Once the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to MEDIUM-LOW.
Let the potatoes simmer on Medium-Low for 30-40 minutes, OR until they become fork tender. When done, drain the potatoes well, and let them sit in the dry pan for 5 minutes.
Mash The Potatoes
Transfer the hot potatoes to a mixing bowl. Add 2 Tablespoons of butter, salt, and a pinch of nutmeg and cayenne pepper to the potatoes.
Use an electric mixer or a potato masher to mash the potatoes until the butter has melted and they are blended well.
Pour in 3 Tablespoons of half and half, then add 2 egg yolks (no egg white!). Mix well until the potatoes are very smooth in texture. Take a small bite, and add additional salt, if desired.
Cover the bowl, and then let the mashed potatoes come to room temperature before continuing on with the recipe.
Time To Pipe The Potatoes Into Decorative Swirls!
Now the fun begins! Preheat your oven to 450°F. (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and then you’re ready to create the Duchess potatoes.
Spoon the mashed potato mixture into a piping bag, fitted with a big star tip (if you have that). You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pastry bag.
TIP: No piping bag? Fill a large zip-loc bag with the mixture and cut a small corner off the bottom of the bag (big enough to pipe the potatoes through.
Pipe 12 portions of the potato mixture in decorative swirls, “building” each in a circular motion from the bottom up until each portion is round and about 3″ wide. Be sure to leave space between each “mound”. REFRIGERATE until potatoes are chilled and you’re ready to bake.
Butter And Bake!
Carefully brush the tops of the Duchess potatoes with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of melted butter using a pastry brush. Try to cover the entire surface of the chilled potatoes.
Bake the Duchess potatoes on a middle rack of the 450°F. oven for 20-25 minutes. Oven temps can vary quite a bit, so keep an eye on them. The potatoes are done when they are lightly browned on the surface.
Serve The Duchess Potatoes
When done, remove the Duchess potatoes from the oven and sprinkle each portion with a small amount of freshly chopped parsley.
Serve them immediately while they’re hot, and enjoy delicious, buttery Duchess potatoes! They are a perfect side dish to pair with a number of main dishes. We served them with pork tenderloin slices and green peas, and they were fantastic!
I hope you have the opportunity to make Duchess potatoes for those you love. Yes… they require a bit more time than “traditional” mashed potatoes, but they’re really good, and add a special touch to a meal! I’m confident you’ll enjoy them.
Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you… and have a wonderful day.
Looking For More Recipes Featuring POTATOES?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have many delicious recipes featuring potatoes you might want to check out, including:
- Roasted Hasselback Potatoes
- Au Gratin Potatoes
- Fully Loaded Potato Soup
- Air Fryer Crispy Mini Potatoes
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
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Recipe adapted from: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8522320/chef-johns-duchess-potatoes/
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Make meals special by adding Duchess Potatoes! Buttery mashed potatoes are piped in decorative swirls and baked in this classic French dish.
- 2 pounds russet potatoes (approx. 6 small-medium)
- 2 Tablespoons cold butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 3 Tablespoons half and half
- 2 large egg yolks (no egg white)
- 1 Tablespoon butter (melted)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
Peel, rinse potatoes. Slice into quarters by cutting them in half lengthwise, then cutting each potato half in half again.
Put potatoes in large saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil on HIGH heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to MEDIUM-LOW. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, OR until fork tender. Drain potatoes- let them rest in pan 5 minutes.
Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl. Add 2 T. butter, salt, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Use electric mixer or potato masher to mash until butter melts and they're well-blended. Add half and half and egg yolks. Mash well until potatoes are smooth in texture. Taste; add more salt, if desired. Cover bowl; let potatoes come to room temperature before continuing.
Preheat oven to 450°F. (220°C). Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Fit a large pastry bag with a star tip (if you have it). Fill pastry bag with potato mixture (may have to do 2 batches). TIP: No piping bag? Fill a large zip-loc bag with the mixture; cut a small corner off the bottom of the bag (big enough to pipe potatoes through. Pipe 12 portions of potato mixture in decorative swirls, "building" each in a circular motion from the bottom up until each portion is round and about 3" wide. Leave space between each "mound". REFRIGERATE until potatoes are lightly chilled.
Brush surface of potatoes with 1 Tablespoon melted butter, using a pastry brush.
Bake at 450℉ on middle rack of oven for 20-25 minutes. Oven temps can vary, so keep an eye on them. They're done when lightly browned on top. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve hot. Enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!