Mashed potatoes are a staple as part of any roast dinner, but simply boiling them in water and mashing them will not make them as creamy as they should be.

Becky Hardin, a cook and founder of The Cookie Rookie, has shared that the better way to make fluffy mash is to simmer the potatoes in milk or cream before mashing them.

She said: “The secret to beautifully creamy easy mashed potatoes is to boil the potatoes in a cream (or whole milk) and water mixture.

“The potatoes suck up all the goodness from the cream and result in flavoursome potatoes that are beautifully smooth.”

Many of us make the mistake of simply boiling potatoes in water, but this can result in a bland side dish that has a glue-like consistency.

However, when mashed potatoes are boiled in dairy it infuses the potatoes with a creamy flavour that water cannot provide.

Milk and cream also contain proteins, which give mashed potatoes a smoother and silkier texture than if they were simply boiled in water.

Becky said: “This easy mashed potatoes recipe needs a place at your table this holiday season! Deliciously creamy and indulgent, you won’t want to make this side dish any other way!”

How to make the ultimate mashed potatoes

Ingredients:  

• 1.4kg of Yukon Gold potatoes
• 475ml of whole milk or double cream
• 700ml of water
• 115g of unsalted
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional garnishes:

• Chopped parsley
• Parmesan cheese
• Extra butter

When making the perfect mash, it is also incredibly important to choose the right potatoes at the supermarket, and it is highly recommended to buy Yukon Gold potatoes.

Yukon Gold potatoes have a natural richness which will compliment the milk or cream you add to your mashed potatoes, but will also help improve the texture as they are medium-starch.

They are not as starchy as other potatoes like Russet, which means they will become smooth when mashed but not have a gluey texture like other types of potatoes.

Recipe: 

All you need to do is add the potatoes to a large saucepan along with your water and milk (or cream).

Season the mixture with salt and pepper, then begin to cook over medium heat.

Bring the potatoes to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Once ready, drain the potatoes in a colander set over a medium-sized bowl to keep the potato water and milk mixture the potatoes were boiled in.

Place the potatoes back into the empty saucepan and place on a low-medium heat. Gently stir for one minute to get rid of any excess moisture.

Add the butter and season with salt and pepper again. Mash the potatoes until they are smooth.

If you wish to have fluffy mashed potatoes, add some of the reserved milk-water mixture after you have mashed them.

Place the mashed potatoes in a serving bowl and garnish with any toppings you wish, such as parsley, parmesan cheese or even a little more butter.

Your mouthwatering mashed potatoes will now be creamy and incredibly flavourful.