Pommes Dauphine (French potato puffs)

Pommes Dauphine are delicious bite-sized balls of mashed potato wrapped with choux pastry. When deep fried they puff into dumpling shapes. Biting into a Pommes Dauphine is a bit like biting into a feathery cloud and they make a perfect side to a chicken or steak dish.

Ingredients to make about 16 puffs or more depending on size:

For the mash:
800 grams \ 4 and a half cup of potatoes ( potatoes suited for mash)
(cook them with 2 pinches of rock salt in the water)

For the choux pastry:
– 250 ml \1 cup of water
– 80 grams \ 5 and a half tablespoons of plain butter
– 2 pinch of fine salt
– 125 grams \ 1 cup of plain flour
– 4 medium whole eggs . when making the choux paste remember
no to add all the eggs at once especially toward the end , (as
shown in the video)

To cook the Pommes dauphine:
use a deep fryer or equivalent with the oil temperature at a steady 160 degrees celcius/ 320 F

Instructions:

Prepare the potatoes:

In a pan filled with cold water add the peeled potatoes (cut in half) and add 2 teaspoons of rock salt. Bring the water the boil. Once the water boil leave the potatoes to cook until tender ( usually it takes 20 minutes from boiling time) once the potatoes are done drain the water place the potatoes on a tray and leave to them to dry slowly in a preheated oven at 50 Celsius while you are making the choux paste.

Make the Choux paste:

In a pan on medium heat put all of the water, salt and butter. Bring to the boil. As soon as the water boils add all of the flour at once and mix well with a wooden spoon until a ball of dough forms. Reduce the heat to low and stir that ball of dough in the pan to dry it a bit for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes turn the heat off and transfer the ball of dough to large clean bowl.

In the large bow with the choux paste dough start by adding your eggs one by ones (it is best to beat them) and keep on stirring the mix until each egg is fully incorporated. Keep adding eggs until you get a mass that is little bit not too compact and not too runny (check the video to see what I mean)

Add the potatoes to the choux paste:

using the same bowl you have made de choux paste in. press you potatoes into a mash over the choux paste using a food mill or a potato press. When done season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and finally stir the whole lot together vigorously until you have a coherent mass and all of the choux paste and mash have blended together.

Deep fry the Pomme dauphine:

Deep frying is very important as this is what will make you recipe succeed or fail. Temperature control here is crucial and you need to keep it between 160 and 170 Celsius at all time. That translate into around 320 Fahrenheit.

When the oil is at temperature you can either, put all of the dough in a pipping bag and cut chunks the size of a wine cork, or use a tablespoon to add balls of dough ( the size of a walnut)  in the oil. Don’t overcrowd your fryer with too much dough just fry 3 or 4 puffs at a time. Cooking takes about 6 minutes until the pommes dauphine really starts to puff. when done reserve the puffs on a tray covered with kitchen paper towels (to absorb the excess oil). The pommes dauphine are ready they are best serve warm alongside a meat dish with sauce.

FCA

Host and author on The French Cooking Academy.