Un ingrediente batido hace el puré de patatas más esponjoso y cremoso
Para un puré de patatas esponjoso y cremoso, más allá de la leche y la mantequilla, la nata montada aporta una textura increíblemente ligera y aterciopelada.
Creamy mashed potatoes, with a touch of butter, accompany almost any meal and serve as a base for any flavor. To achieve a fluffy version, however, you have to go beyond milk and butter. Homemade, unsweetened whipped cream transforms the mashed potatoes, giving them a light and velvety texture.
It's not enough to simply add heavy cream or whipping cream as is: it must be whipped until soft peaks form, which hold briefly and then collapse when you lift the beater. Over-whipping can deflate it and cause lumps. Then, the cooked potatoes are mashed with milk and butter, and the whipped cream is gently folded in. The result is a very light purée with an intense buttery flavor and a silky smooth texture.
Whipping cream, with 30% butterfat, is lighter than heavy cream, which has 36%. Both are generally considered interchangeable in recipes like this, although the purée may be slightly lighter with whipping cream and a bit creamier and thicker with heavy cream.
For a fluffier mash, choose potatoes with a high starch content, such as the classic Russet (or Idaho) variety. They absorb more moisture and don't become watery when mashed, but avoid over-mashing them, as this will result in a floury and sticky paste. It's also best to steam them in cubes until they are fork-tender, rather than boiling them, to prevent them from becoming too liquid. They can even be steamed in chicken broth or another type of stock to enhance the flavor.
The milk and butter should be warm before mixing them with the potatoes, as this helps them blend better and reduces starch breakdown by mixing less. Whipped cream is another story: it must be very cold to whip properly, and it's best to keep it cold before and after whipping so that it only melts when mixed with the mashed potatoes.
