The Best Mashed Potatoes (Pommes Puree) You’ll Ever Have

INGREDIENTS

Yukon Gold potatoes
25% by weight really good butter
15% by weight heavy cream
Diamond Crystal kosher salt, to taste

RECIPE

Weigh the potatoes. Multiply that weight by 0.25 to find the needed amount of butter, and by 0.15 to find the needed amount of heavy cream.

Put the potatoes in a pot large enough to cover them with at least an inch of cold water. Add enough cold water to cover them by an inch. Turn the heat to high. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. That means only occasional very small bubbles. Cook until you can insert a sharp knife with almost no resistance.

When the potatoes are done, pass them through a tamis into a large bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water—occasional v small bubbles, remember?—and add 1/3 of the butter and 1/3 of the cream. And a large pinch of salt. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to beat the fat into the potatoes. It’ll look really loose for a moment, but trust me, the potatoes will absorb it. Once it’s absorbed, add the second third and repeat until you’ve incorporated all the fat. Taste for salt, and add more if needed. (It’ll probably be needed.)

Keep warm until ready to serve.

Want to see this in video form? 👇
(Note: the amount of cream and butter in the video are different than listed above, but both are really good.)