Mashed potatoes are a staple comfort dish that goes with many meals, but everyone has their own way of making them. Culinary experts at Delish think they’ve found the secret to getting your potatoes extra fluffy every single time
Culinary whizzes at Delish have potentially cracked the code to achieving perfectly fluffy mashed potatoes every time, and it’s all down to a simple kitchen staple.
They suggest that the key to a light and airy texture lies in just one ingredient – baking powder.
To validate their claim, they conducted an experiment comparing their usual mash recipe, which includes sour cream and butter, with two variations: one with baking powder and another with baking soda.
Delish explained: “So what’s the real secret to incredible mashed potatoes? Apparently, it’s not just a bunch of sour cream and a bunch of butter; it’s something that’s already sitting in your pantry.”
They added: “As a potato professional, I’m gonna test the theory that baking powder makes your mashed potatoes incredibly fluffy. I’m a little sceptical, but we’re gonna use science to figure it out.”
Their standard mash recipe features sour cream, butter, and salt, but for their experiment, they introduced one teaspoon of baking powder to one batch and one teaspoon of baking soda to another, reports the Express.
Delish concluded: “The theory is that baking powder reacts with the acid to make a lot of little tiny air pockets, which makes your potato super duper fluffy.”
While whipping up a variety of mashed potato dishes using hand whisks, the taste testers over at Delish uttered their surprise especially when trying the mash with baking powder added.
They confessed: “I’m mad that’s what the base was, I actually did not want this to work.
“I don’t like people putting a whole bunch of extra stuff in my mashed potatoes, but… that’s really good. Oh my god, these are thicker.”
Their reaction to the mash enhanced with baking soda was also unexpectedly positive, and they expressed their verdict saying: “I’m gonna take V1 every time, because V2 kind of just makes me a little bit sad, but it doesn’t taste bad.”
For those on the hunt for a plate of mash brimming with fluffiness and scrumptious taste, Delish recommended tossing in some baking powder.
Yet, if sheer fluffiness was the goal, adding baking soda was their top tip.